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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26094844">You Got Them Stars Up In Your Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterRose527/pseuds/WinterRose527'>WinterRose527</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, I don't think there is a drop of canon, Rom-Com vibes, adorable nieces, besotted idiots</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:47:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,194</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26094844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterRose527/pseuds/WinterRose527</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>okay so of course the only thing to do when you've gotten yourself down to like five WIPS is to start another one, right? Honestly I have two more ideas in the queue so I wouldn't be surprised if I start another one as well, but like... what else is there to do in the current state of the world if not to write/read fluff?</p><p>This'll have all the Robbcella feels plus Starkling antics and adorable OC children to add to the mix. Stick around if you're in for some good ol' fashion fluff.</p><p>Title is from the Whiskey Myers song 'Rolling Stone' which gives me major Robbcella vibes and is super fun to dance alone in your room to</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jon Snow/Sansa Stark, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Myrcella Baratheon/Robb Stark, Tommen Baratheon/Margaery Tyrell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you sure you don’t want help there, El?,” Tommy asked. </p><p>“For the hundredth time I’ve got it,” Myrcella sighed as she tried to shove the seatbelt through the car seat. </p><p>“Maybe you should help,” she heard Joey say behind her.</p><p>Myrcella turned around and pointed at her six year old niece, “TRAITOR!”</p><p>Joey looked adorably shamefaced but said, “Well it’s been like hours.” </p><p>“It hasn’t been hours,” Myrcella said under her breath, though in truth it kind of felt like it. She was even perspiring a little. She went to shove it in again and ended up catching her thumb on the buckle, “Ow ow ow okay fine.” </p><p>Tommy gently moved her out of the way and Lenny, her three year old niece, took hold of her hand, looking at her thumb and then pressing a sweet kiss to it. She grinned down at her, stroking her silky hair. Tommy fiddled with the carseat for about three and a half seconds and then she heard an obnoxious little click. </p><p>“I don’t even understand how you did that,” Myrcella admitted.</p><p>Her younger brother looked at her,  “Because I’ve done it about a thousand times over the past six years.” He wiggled both car seats to make sure they were both secure and then plopped kisses on his daughters’ heads, “Alright be good for Auntie Ella. I’ll see you all for dinner.” </p><p>Joey (Joanna) and Lenny (Olenna) waved to Tommy, as did she. He got in his SUV and drove off, heading to play golf, and the three of him watched him go. </p><p>“So who is ready for the Children’s Museum?,” she asked.</p><p>“MEEEE,” Lenny agreed. </p><p>Joey merely got into the car and got herself buckled. Myrcella took Lenny around to the other side and hoisted her up, being careful not to snag her precious little legs as she buckled her in. She went around the front and got in, buckling her seatbelt and pushing the start button on her car. Music started blasting and she turned it down. She went to turn off her blinker that was still ticking and the windshield wipers started going. </p><p>“What the…,” she fiddled with it but then the other blinker started. </p><p>“Um Auntie Ella… maybe we should walk,” Joey suggested from the backseat.</p><p>“The Children’s Museum is on the other side of the city,” Myrcella pointed out and then turned around and looked at their adorable and skeptical faces. “What’s the problem?”</p><p>Joey scrunched her nose, “I think your lights are on.” </p><p>Myrcella turned around. Her lights were on. Her high beams in fact. </p><p>“Is there any place you guys like to go around here?,” she wondered aloud. </p><p>Joey nodded enthusiastically and she shut off her car and got them out of their car seats. Her nieces each took a hold of one hand and lead her out of their parents’ driveway and turned left. </p><p>Joey started chatting happily about where they were going. Apparently the cafe a few blocks down had great everything. Lenny meanwhile was looking at the flowers in the gardens they were passing. </p><p>The pair of them were so different. Lenny was prone to loud outbursts but otherwise was very content to let her older sister do the talking, always looking to Joey to explain something. It made video chatting with them difficult, because she felt like she knew Lenny so much less. Not only did she not talk as much but she’d been gone for almost all of her life.</p><p>She’d been there for the first few years of of Joey’s, she’d been three when Myrcella had moved down to Dorne, so as difficult as it was for them to be apart the relationship was already formed and easier to pick up.</p><p>She’d been making up for lost time since she’d moved back a couple of weeks ago, and Lenny showed no signs of feeling short shifted as she twirled herself around. </p><p>Her time in Dorne was also the reason she wasn’t totally accustomed to driving. No one did down south, and she’d completely fallen out of practice. She’d admittedly been grateful when Joey had suggested walking, not feeling entirely confident driving such precious cargo.</p><p>“So what should we do after we get coffee?,” Myrcella asked as though she was talking to two of her girlfriends. She shook out of it, “Wait, what am I saying, you guys can’t drink coffee.” </p><p>“We drink choklut,” Lenny explained, pressing the button for the crosswalk. </p><p>Myrcella looked at Joey for translation and she reliably explained, “Hot chocolate.” </p><p>“Mmmm,” Myrcella agreed. </p><p>Though it was early fall there was already a crisp in the air. That was the way it always was in the north, and she certainly didn’t miss drinking iced coffee in winter. Hot chocolate could be just the ticket.</p><p>“And then we should go to the library,” Joey suggested, “And then the park. Oh or the petting zoo.”</p><p>Or maybe something caffeinated. </p><p>The walk sign turned on and all three of them looked both ways before crossing the street. The cafe they were taking her too was an adorable stand alone structure, painted white with dark green shutters making it seem more like a cottage by the sea than a downtown cafe. </p><p>She opened the door for the girls and they ran ahead up to the counter. </p><p>“Alright ladies, what do we want?,” she wondered. </p><p>She perused the menu and Lenny raised her arms so Myrcella picked her up and settled her against her hip. </p><p>“Choklut,” Lenny said.</p><p>“But you’re already so sweet,” Myrcella argued, kissing her cheek and Lenny proved her point by giggling wildly. She stroked Joey’s cheek, “And for you?”</p><p>Joey looked at the menu and the display case of pastries, “Chamomile tea and a scone.”</p><p>“Chamomile tea and a scone?,” Myrcella clarified. “You sound like my mother.” </p><p>Joey giggled, “Grandma Cersei doesn’t eat scones.” </p><p>Myrcella chuckled and nodded and they moved up in line when the person in front of them left. </p><p>The barista smiled at her and she smiled back, “Can we please have one small hot chocolate with…extra whip cream,” Lenny squealed in delight, “A very very weak chamomile tea and a scone, and a golden latte please.” </p><p>She gave the barista her name and then they went and found a table. The manager brought over a booster seat for Lenny and they all settled in. </p><p>Joey started telling her about her soccer team. Apparently she loved it, though Marg had told a bit of a different tale after the first practice when Joey cried about not wanting to go back. She looked at Lenny who seemed content to listen to her big sister, but Myrcella reached in her bag anyway and pulled out a small notebook and a pencil and opened to a blank page for Lenny.</p><p>Lenny looked at her and Myrcella drew a big flower on it, nodding along to what Joey was saying about the importance of defense, and then handed the notebook back to Lenny who took the pencil in her little hand and started drawing scribbles. </p><p>“Myrcella!,” somebody behind the counter called.</p><p>“Watch your sister, okay, Jo?,” Myrcella said and Joey nodded so she went through the cafe back to the counter. </p><p>The barista took one look at her and dumped the contents of all of the mugs into takeaway cups with lids, giving her a takeaway tray and placing the little paper bag with Joey’s scone in it on top. She grabbed a couple of napkins and a little packet of honey and a knife for Joey, thanked the barista, and walked back to their table. </p><p>She hadn’t been gone for two minutes but there was a man standing at their table, in front of the chair where she had just vacated. Neither of the girls looked scared but she still saw red, because honestly, what kind of man approaches two unaccompanied little girls? </p><p>Well what kind of aunt leaves two little girls unaccompanied? a nagging voice that sounded a lot like her mother’s asked her. </p><p>“Um excuse me,” she said a bit rudely to the man, moving in front of him so that she could place the drinks down and sit down. </p><p>“Oh, hi,” a deep, surprised voice said behind her.</p><p>She took out the girls drinks, handing Joey hers and saying blow and then she undid the top of Lenny’s and started blowing on it for her. </p><p>“Girls, do you know him?,” she asked her nieces. </p><p>“This is Robb,” Joey said and Myrcella waited for her to tell her more but she didn’t. </p><p>She turned to look at him and he grinned at her. She didn’t smile back, half because she wasn’t a fan of the way he’d approached the girls and half because her mouth went completely dry. He was absolutely gorgeous, with russet curls and bright blue eyes, a jaw that could slice through stone. </p><p>“Hey,” he said and then his face fell, “Oh my,” he said and then looked at the girls and at her, “Oh my god. This must seem so weird to you.” </p><p>She nodded, forcing saliva into her mouth, “It’s a little weird.”</p><p>Robb rubbed his face, “I’m so sorry, I just I know the girls through my niece. She’s in Joey’s class, and my sister… um… Sansa… I don’t know if you know her, but she’s really good friends with Margaery.”</p><p>At the familiar name of Sansa, Myrcella’s stomach uncoiled entirely. Sansa was for all intents and purposes Margaery’s best friend. They had met while Myrcella was in Dorne, and at first it had just been oh Joey’s friend has the loveliest Mum! and then it had quickly turned into Sansa and I went for pedicures and Oh my gosh I just got back from the hardest pilates class with Sansa. </p><p>Myrcella hadn’t met Sansa yet but it was evident that she was a lovely woman and now that she’d made the connection she realized he must be Kitty’s uncle. Which allowed her to finally smile back.</p><p>“Hello,” she said simply. </p><p>“Sorry about that,” he said again. </p><p>“It’s okay,” she waved him off and then admitted, “I don’t have them on my own often. I think I went a little Auntie Bear.” </p><p>Robb chuckled, “Fair enough. Though these little monsters are very capable of taking care of themselves. You should see this one with a water balloon.” </p><p>He was pointing at Lenny and she followed his gaze. Lenny had just taken a sip of hot chocolate, so when she giggled it sputtered out of her mouth, dripping on the table like a Jackson Pollack. </p><p>“Ohhohoh,” Robb simultaneously laughed and lamented, making Lenny and Joey crack up. </p><p>She found it hard not to laugh as well, and it became impossible when Lenny gave her a chocolate covered smile. She took one of the napkins and wiped Lenny’s face and then the table. </p><p>“Sit down,” Joey ordered with very little finesse. </p><p>As though he was very used to being ordered about by six year olds, Robb took the only empty chair at the table and accepted the piece of scone Joey broke off and handed to him. </p><p>“So,” Robb said, looking at Joey. </p><p>“So,” Joey said, looking at Robb.</p><p>Robb glanced at her briefly and blushed and then looked back at Joey, “What do you want to talk about?”</p><p>As though she hadn’t ordered he sit down moments ago, she simply made a hmm sound. </p><p>Lenny turned to look at her and repeated hmm so Myrcella hmmed back.</p><p>Robb looked mortified so she took pity on him and said, “Joey tells me Kitty is the greatest.” </p><p>“That she is,” Robb agreed, and then informed the table, “I actually have a date with her tonight.” </p><p>A date with his niece on a Saturday night. Hardly typical for a guy that had to be somewhere around her age, perhaps a few years older. Though perhaps there was a girlfriend who’d be joining them. </p><p>“Clubbing?,” she suggested. </p><p>“Casino actually,” Robb corrected.</p><p>She raised her brows and gave him a small nod, picking up her latte and taking a sip. </p><p>“ROBB,” they heard the barista call. </p><p>“That’s me,” Robb said and stood up. </p><p>“Bye Robb,” Joey said. </p><p>“Bye Bob,” Lenny rhymed, giggling at her own cleverness. </p><p>Myrcella nodded solemnly, “Bob.” </p><p>Robb chuckled, “Um… can I speak to uh…,” he then looked at Joey and tore the honey package that she was struggling with open for her, “Can I speak to Auntie Bear for a second?’</p><p>“Mmmhm,” the little traitor nodded, squeezing honey onto her scone liberally. </p><p>Myrcella stood up and walked a few feet away from the girls and crossed her arms. </p><p>She had no idea why she was being so rude to him. Okay she did, but it had nothing to do with him and all together to do with another curly-haired, square-jawed man. </p><p>“Yes?,” she asked when Robb said nothing.</p><p>“Hmm,” Robb teased, making her thaw just a little. He scratched his cheek and said, “So look I know this is pretty forward but you’re probably used to that so, I guess I was just wondering if I could have your number?”</p><p>“Why do you want my number?,” she wondered. </p><p>“Is that a serious question?,” he asked her. </p><p>She shrugged, explaining, “We just met.” </p><p>“Yeah,” he nodded, and then pointed out, “Well the only way for me to get to know you well enough for it to be appropriate to ask for your number is to ask for your number so…” </p><p>She bit her lip to hide her smile. It was twisted logic but charming all the same. Even still, she’d been tricked by twisted logic and charm before and she wasn’t all that ready to do it again. Not even if it came with gorgeous blue eyes. </p><p>Especially then. </p><p>“Hmm,” she repeated and he grinned, as though he was very used to winning. She wasn’t ready to admit defeat yet, the game was far too much fun for that so she said, “I’ll tell you what. You know Marg, right?” </p><p>“Yeah,” Robb nodded, “She’s a hoot.” </p><p>“She is at that,” Myrcella agreed, knowing full well that Margaery was also fiercely protective of her. “Ask her for my number and if she will give it to you… then you can call me.” </p><p>He pursed his lips and then chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling, “You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?” </p><p>She grinned, her green eyes glimmering back, “Absolutely not… Bye Bob.” </p><p>“Looking forward to speaking to you soon, Auntie Ella,” he returned confidently. </p><p>With that he walked away and Myrcella sat back down in her seat. She focused her attention on Joey and Lenny, who told her all about the Snows’ house which was full of dogs and where there was always yummy food and about how Robb and Jon had taken them apple picking and Lenny had ridden on someone named Rickon’s shoulders.</p><p>The girls were still talking about them when they got to the park and she watched Joey use the monkey bars and pushed Lenny on the swings. </p><p>By the time they got back to Tommy and Marg’s, the girls had forgotten all about Robb and wanted to tell their parents all about the day they’d had, but even as she added tidbits here and there, Myrcella couldn’t seem to stop seeing a pair of blue eyes and hearing a chuckle that reminded her oddly of winter.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Robb pulled onto the long drive to Sansa and Jon’s house on Tuesday night at exactly 6:47.</p><p> </p><p>The sky was already getting dark, in a months time it would be as dark as midnight by now, falling off the steep October cliff. For now though it was only just starting to purple.</p><p> </p><p>He recognized the cream convertible in the circular drive and he pulled in behind it and shut off the engine. He’d made sure to take off his tie when he got in the car and he undid the top button of his dress shirt, taking off his suit jacket as he got out.</p><p> </p><p>He opened the front door and right away Lady and Ghost came to greet him.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi babies,” he couldn’t help but coo at them as he pet them both, “Good babies.”</p><p> </p><p>Their tails wagged as they vied for attention, hardly letting him through to continue walking down the hall.</p><p> </p><p>He heard voices in the kitchen and he started walking slower, making sure that he was only hearing two.</p><p> </p><p>One was definitely Sansa.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m telling you, missionary is back in style,” the other said.</p><p> </p><p>Yep. <em>Definitely Marg</em>.</p><p> </p><p>He walked into the kitchen to the sound of Sansa’s embarrassed laughter. Margaery was sitting at the kitchen island with a glass of wine, and Sansa was stirring something at the stove.</p><p> </p><p>His sister turned to look at him and she greeted him, “Robb! This is a surprise!”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Not really</em>,” he could have sworn he heard Margaery say under her breath.</p><p> </p><p>He turned to look at her and she looked back at him, betraying nothing as she took a small sip of wine. It was entirely possible it had been his paranoia speaking. It was also entirely possible that she knew <em>exactly </em>why he was here.</p><p> </p><p>That threw him off his rhythm a bit and he cleared his throat, “Is Jon still here? I thought I was supposed to meet him here at 6:45.”</p><p> </p><p>He studiously avoided Margaery’s gaze and turned to Sansa whose brow furrowed, “No… the movie was <em>starting </em>at 6:45. I thought you couldn’t make it?”</p><p> </p><p>“My uh…,” he coughed, “Um my evening freed up.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cancelled date?,” Margaery suggested.</p><p> </p><p>He glanced back at her and she raised one of her brows. <em>She totally knows</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“No, nothing like that,” Robb shook his head in what he hoped was an innocent way.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m so sorry!,” his sweet and entirely oblivious sister sing-songed at him, “You guys must have gotten your wires crossed. Jon and Tommy and the kids left here… what would you say Marg, a half hour ago?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just about,” Margaery sing-songed back, then looked at him, “Glass of wine?”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s beer in the fridge too, and whiskey in the- what am I doing? You’re not a guest, take whatever you want,” Sansa waved him off as though he’d been buzzing around her.</p><p> </p><p>He walked by the island and grabbed a piece of carrot out of the salad bowl and popped it in his mouth and opened the door to the fridge. He pulled out a beer and popped the cap, walking over to the stove to see what she was cooking.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed like some sort of lemony smelling pasta and the bowl of chopped pistachios next to the stove confirmed it.</p><p> </p><p>A homemade dinner wasn’t his purpose for coming but it <em>could </em>be a perk.</p><p> </p><p>Or a consolation.</p><p> </p><p>He took a sip of beer and turned around so he was facing Margaery, “So, are you ladies enjoying your girls night?”</p><p> </p><p>“We were,” Sansa teased, checking her hip against his.</p><p> </p><p>“Such a shame you and Jon had that miscommunication,” Marg lamented. “Don’t I vaguely remember Jon saying <em>Sleeping Beauty </em>was your favorite?”</p><p> </p><p>Robb shook his head, “Absolutely not. Hercules all the way.”</p><p> </p><p>Sansa chuckled, “Oh please,” she then turned to Margaery, “Though in truth Maleficent scared the bajeezus out of him.”</p><p> </p><p>He grinned, “Maybe a bit.”</p><p> </p><p>Marg nodded, “Yeah I’m pretty sure Lenny will be sleeping with me for a month.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’ll cramp your<em>style</em>,” he said a bit under his breath.</p><p> </p><p>Margaery looked at him and he looked back at her blankly, taking a small sip of his beer.</p><p> </p><p>Though he couldn’t really resist taking the piss out of her, he realized that it maybe wasn’t the best tactic when it came to getting her sister-in-law’s number.</p><p> </p><p>Which of course was the real reason he was here.</p><p> </p><p>Jon <em>had </em>invited him to the movies and he <em>had </em>told him that it started at 6:45. Robb had also told him that he couldn’t make it, once Jon had mentioned that Margaery and Sansa would be having dinner at the house.</p><p> </p><p>He had Margaery’s number and had resisted the urge to call Saturday night, Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon, late Sunday afternoon, Sunday night, and every moment since then, but when Jon mentioned the movie yesterday he figured that in person might be the better option.</p><p> </p><p>The trouble was he hadn’t exactly figured out how to ask. He <em>did </em>know how to start though.</p><p> </p><p>“I ran into the girls on Saturday,” he noted as casually as possible.</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” Margaery said in such a tone that not only he but also Sansa turned to look at her. She shrugged and said, “Joey told me.”</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t sure whether or not he should believe her. He certainly believed that Joey had told her. He’d known her for a few years and even when she was three she’d been shockingly verbal, never speaking in the halted sentences that Bobby and Kitty had.</p><p> </p><p>He just wasn’t sure whether to believe that Myrcella hadn’t mentioned him.</p><p> </p><p>On the one hand, there was almost nothing in her behavior that suggested he’d made an impression on her. In fact, for most of the time he was pretty sure she was going to deck him, first for approaching the girls and then for honing in on her time with them - both of which he understood.</p><p> </p><p>On the other hand, there actually <em>had </em>been that glimmer in her eyes as she challenged him.</p><p> </p><p>He thought it was a glimmer anyway. Maybe that was just what her eyes looked like.</p><p> </p><p>“They’re um…,” he started, searching for a word and landing on, “Cute.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, she is,” Margaery agreed and then quickly corrected, “I mean yes, they are.”</p><p> </p><p>Well that settled it. She knew.</p><p>Which was awkward, but also exciting, because at the very least Myrcella had felt like his presence was <em>worth </em>mentioning. Sure it could have been in a <em>some douchebag said he knows you </em>kind of way but he could work with that. A bad impression could be changed, but a <em>lack </em>of one was trickier.</p><p> </p><p>He now though had a hard line to walk. If he was too full on, he might creep Marg out, but if he was too casual, he might seem not interested enough. He took another sip of beer.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah uh, they were with their aunt… Ella?,” he suggested.</p><p> </p><p>“You met Ella?,” Sansa accused, her face falling, “No fair. I was supposed to meet her last week and it fell through…”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah we met,” he confirmed, “Briefly.”</p><p> </p><p>“Briefly?,” Marg clarified, “I heard you stayed a while.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is that what Ella said?,” he demanded.</p><p> </p><p>Marg took a sip of wine and then suggested, “Lenny.”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s she like?,” Sansa asked.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s,” he started to answer and then realized he didn’t really have a description that was appropriate. If he said <em>beautiful </em>they’d be all over him. If he said <em>nice </em>he’d kind of be lying because she really hadn’t been, not to him anyway. He went with, “Intriguing.”</p><p> </p><p><em>Well, that was the wrong fucking thing to say</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Sansa turned off the stove and grabbed one of the island chairs, pouring herself a glass of wine. Margaery was grinning now like the cheshire cat, clearly having been prepared to play with him a bit longer but delighted to see him splayed out on the killing floor all the same.</p><p> </p><p>“Intriguing,” Sansa nodded, turning to Margaery, “Intriguing.”</p><p> </p><p>“Intriguing,” Margaery agreed, testing the word. “Hmm.”</p><p> </p><p>Well now it was clear where Joey got it from.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, okay, can we not act like we are in 6th grade for a minute here?,” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Says the guy who fibbed about getting the plan wrong!,” Margaery accused.</p><p> </p><p>Sansa turned, her jaw dropped comically, “You little sneak!”</p><p> </p><p>He shrugged, “Well…maybe.”</p><p> </p><p>Margaery chuckled and Sansa grinned.</p><p> </p><p>“So, did she mention me?,” he had to ask, now that his cards were down.</p><p> </p><p>“Now who’s in 5th grade?,” Margaery asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I said 6th,” he reminded her.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Margaery agreed, “I’m aware of that.”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled and let her have it, “So?”</p><p> </p><p>Margaery eyed him warily, her clear blue eyes appraising him before she allowed, “She may have confirmed meeting you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Careful Marg or his ego is going to swell,” Sansa teased. “What <em>else</em> did she say?,” Too excited to contain her questions to one person she turned to him and said, “Is she as pretty as she looks in pictures?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve never seen pictures of her,” he said and then shook his head, “But somehow I doubt they’d do her justice.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Reeeally</em>, oh that <em>is </em>interesting,” Sansa wiggled in her seat. “So… Marg?”</p><p> </p><p>Margaery was clearly weighing what or what not to say. For all her smirking she was truthfully one of the loyalist friends Sansa had ever had. Always quick to offer to do pick-up or host sleepovers, bring endless amounts of food over when their Mom had died last year, a second aunt to his niece and nephew.</p><p> </p><p>He had to imagine Ella had at least as much of her loyalty.</p><p> </p><p>She finally landed on, “She mentioned you might have a question for me.”</p><p> </p><p>Sansa turned to him dramatically and he could feel the blood rushing to his ears.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah uh, she told me to ask you for her number,” he said quickly.</p><p> </p><p>“But wait why didn’t she just - <em>Oh</em>… clever,” Sansa praised.</p><p> </p><p>Margaery cackled, and he realized then that Ella hadn’t told her what he’d asked. Maybe she really only had confirmed meeting him.</p><p> </p><p>“God love that girl,” Marg said and then looked at him, “Why do you want it?”</p><p> </p><p>“WHY IS THIS SO CONFUSING TO EVERYONE?,” he couldn’t help but exclaim.</p><p> </p><p>Marg, a mother to a child just out of the terrible twos, was entirely unfazed, “I’m not an idiot. I know <em>why </em>you want her number, I’m asking you…”</p><p> </p><p>Her brow furrowed and Sansa jumped into supply, “What your intentions are!”</p><p> </p><p>“Whose side are you on?,” Robb wondered.</p><p> </p><p>“To be entirely honest I haven’t quite decided yet,” Sansa admitted.</p><p> </p><p>He and Marg laughed and he used the time to try to think about how to answer. As much as Marg loved to banter, she had absolutely no patience for bullshit.</p><p> </p><p>So he said, “Look, I’d be lying if I said I was ready to take a knee. I met her for all of five minutes. But I’d like to get to know her better. You know um… see if there could be something there.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not just looking for a quick lay?,” Marg clarified.</p><p> </p><p>Sansa loyally stepped in to defend him, “Come on, you know he’s not that guy.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a fair question,” he told her, “She’s gorgeous but uh, no. Not looking for a quick lay. Honestly, even if I was… she doesn’t seem like the sort to fall for that.”</p><p> </p><p>Margaery didn’t answer him right away and she took a sip of her wine.</p><p> </p><p>“Not yet,” she finally said.</p><p> </p><p>“Not <em>yet</em>?,” Sansa wondered aloud for him.</p><p> </p><p>“Nope,” Marg scrunched her nose and shook her head, “Not yet.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well…okay,” he said deflated. “When?”</p><p> </p><p>“How many tasks did Hercules have to complete?,” Margaery wondered out loud. He and Sansa turned to look at her with identical faces of horror. She chuckled, “I’m <em>kidding</em>. Are you coming to Kitty’s soccer game on Saturday?”</p><p> </p><p>“Definitely,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>He was planning to go already but now he obviously had to.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” Margaery said, “So is Ella. I’ll decide after that whether or not to give you her number.”</p><p> </p><p>“What are you up to, Marg?,” Sansa asked.</p><p> </p><p>Margaery shrugged, “I didn’t grow up with a little sister but now I have one. And I’ve gotta do right by my girl.”</p><p> </p><p>That ended that. As older siblings both he and Sansa understood entirely and without any further explanation needed. He still remembered the day when Jon had first told him that he had feelings for Sansa, the way he’d made him sweat even though he’d known it for years. He’d seen Sansa give a boy or two a what-for when it came to Arya.</p><p> </p><p>“Fair enough,” he agreed, meaning it. “Saturday then.”</p><p> </p><p>“Saturday,” Marg agreed.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Go team!</em>,” Sansa intoned.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hmmmm</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“GO TEAM!,” Lenny called.</p><p> </p><p>“Woowoowooooooo,” Ella agreed.</p><p> </p><p>Lenny giggled, “You sound liiiika wolf.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well the team is the Winterfell Wolves!,” Ella pointed out, “Come on, let’s hear yours!”</p><p> </p><p>“Awoooo,” Lenny sang up into the air.</p><p> </p><p>“Atta puppy,” Ella nodded.</p><p> </p><p>Lenny giggled, collapsing back against her chest. Ella wrapped her arms around her and <em>huggle-buggled </em>her. She couldn’t help it, Lenny was scrumptious. Silly and sweet and so terribly good.</p><p> </p><p>It was so nice to feel as though she’d fully bonded to her. It had made her nervous, how close she and Joey were. She didn’t want Lenny to feel left out. And then being gone for so much of her life hadn’t helped.</p><p> </p><p>But Lenny hadn’t learned how to hold a grudge yet, and the time she’d spent with her since she’d returned had done it.</p><p> </p><p>They were sitting on the cold bleachers waiting for Joey’s soccer game to begin. It was a bright sunny day out, but the air was brisk enough that Lenny was bundled into the single most adorable pink faux-fur jacket Ella had ever seen. Joey on the other hand hadn’t even worn a sweatshirt over her uniform on the way to the field.</p><p> </p><p>Myrcella was somewhere in between, matching Lenny’s faux-fur vibes with her own vest. Though unfortunately, hers was brown not pink. She was wearing it over a cream turtleneck sweater and dark jeans, a new pair of ankle boots pinching her feet slightly.</p><p> </p><p>She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t taken a little extra care with her appearance this morning. Not <em>much</em>, but she’d brushed her hair a few more strokes until it shone, used a little white eyeliner to make her eyes look bright, dabbed some perfume behind her ears.</p><p> </p><p>She knew that if she had gone overboard that Marg wouldn’t’ve stopped <em>hmm</em>ing at her and the moment Robb arrived she’d have been straight off making them both feel as awkward as possible. Not only would that have been embarrassing it also could have led to heartache. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to be making any special effort for Robb Stark, and the last thing she wanted him to think was that she had done.</p><p> </p><p>Even still, she’d been slightly disappointed that she hadn’t seen his face in the small but <em>very </em>dedicated crowd that had already assembled when they’d gotten to the field in time for the team’s warm-ups.</p><p> </p><p>The kids were adorable in their uniforms and shin guards. Joey had still been nervous about her cleats on Thursday, so she’d made her put them on and then took a hair dryer to them. From the way her niece was running now it seemed like she should take the hair dryer to her own boots when she got home.</p><p> </p><p>“BOBBYBOBBYBOBBYBOBBY,” Lenny started wiggling uncontrollably in her lap.</p><p> </p><p>Ella followed her gaze to a boy who looked a year or two older than the kids playing. He had a thick mop of dark curly hair and bright blue eyes. And he was accompanied by his Uncle Robb.</p><p> </p><p>Without warning Lenny got off of her lap and walked over to the end of the bleachers and then jumped at the boy.</p><p> </p><p>“OH MY GOD!,” Ella all but screamed.</p><p> </p><p>It was only four feet but Marg and Tommy had left Lenny in her care while they talked to some other parents.</p><p> </p><p>She hopped up but it was all over by the time she’d gotten to the end of the bleachers. Bobby had caught Lenny easily, and the way he held her at his small hip, it made her think it wasn’t the first time.</p><p> </p><p>“Now YOU!,” Lenny ordered.</p><p> </p><p>Ella chuckled, “I don’t think poor Bobby can catch me.”</p><p> </p><p>Lenny cackled, “Not Bobby, BOB.”</p><p> </p><p>In the commotion, or what mustered for commotion to a very squirlish aunt, Ella had managed to nearly forget about Robb. But there he was, standing right next to his nephew.</p><p> </p><p>He looked gorgeous in a dark green, blue and white flannel shirt. It looked soft and showed off his impressive shoulders and arms and chest and…</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi,” she said back.</p><p> </p><p>“JUMP,” Lenny ordered.</p><p> </p><p>She laughed, “I don’t think so.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m ready for you,” Robb teased, holding out his arms.</p><p> </p><p>“That would so serve you right,” she laughed and then scrunched her nose, allowing, “I’ll accept a hand though.”</p><p> </p><p>“Take two,” he offered.</p><p> </p><p>She placed her hands in his. They were shockingly warm for how cool it was outside, and she could feel a callous or two on his palm.</p><p> </p><p>Trying <em>not </em>to make a meal of it she hopped down and released her hands from his as soon as she felt her feet on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” she said.</p><p> </p><p>“Anytime,” he nodded, a small grin on his face.</p><p> </p><p>She felt it right in her stomach. <em>Or maybe lower? </em>the voice in her head that always sounded like Marg suggested.</p><p> </p><p>“And who is this?,” she asked with a small smile towards Bobby.</p><p> </p><p>He was absolutely darling up close. Like his uncle he wore a flannel short and had a bright, cheerful smile dipping into rosy cheeks. Lenny had her arms wrapped around his neck and if the little boy was struggling with the weight of her he wasn’t showing it.</p><p> </p><p>“This is myBobby,” Lenny informed her.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” Ella covered her mouth to hide her grin.</p><p> </p><p>“I like to think of him as <em>our </em>Bobby,” Robb all but mumbled.</p><p> </p><p>“No-o-o-o-o,” Lenny giggled, “He’s <em>mine!</em>”</p><p> </p><p>Her little voice climbed and descended octaves in an indescribable melody.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello Bobby, I’m Lenny’s Auntie Ella,” she introduced herself.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi! You’re Joey’s Aunt too! She’s my sister Kitty’s <em>best </em>friend,” he grinned.</p><p> </p><p><em>Yes and your future wife if Marg has anything to say about it</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Though Joey and Bobby were six and eight respectively Marg and Sansa had apparently married them off already. Which was kind of weird, but looking at Bobby holding Lenny so sweetly she couldn’t really blame them for hoping.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes I am,” she smiled back, “I can’t wait to meet Kitty.”</p><p> </p><p>“She doesn’t like to speak during games,” Bobby warned.</p><p> </p><p>Ella glanced at Robb who was nodding intently, “Very focused, that one.”</p><p> </p><p>She bit her lip to hide her smile and focused her attention on Lenny who Bobby was setting down gently on the ground. She didn’t step away from Bobby, taking hold of his hand and leaning her cheek against his arm.</p><p> </p><p>At eight years old she might have expected he’d be embarrassed about the obvious adoration of a three year old, but Bobby didn’t seem to mind at all.</p><p> </p><p>She was about to comment on it when Robb said, “So I didn’t fail.”</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?,” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Marg,” he explained, “She didn’t say <em>no</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” she nodded and then couldn’t help but tease, “So you just <em>chose </em>not to call.”</p><p> </p><p>“Noo,” he grinned, his blue eyes twinkling, “She’s still making up her mind.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella had already known that. Marg had called her on her way back from Sansa’s on Tuesday all aflutter at the prospect of her and Robb. She’d had to talk her off the ledge, explaining there was nothing to get excited about, that they’d only spoken for a few minutes. Marg had seen right through her though, as she seemed to have a habit of doing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Say it,” Marg interrupted.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I don’t want to,” Ella argued.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Okay,” Marg agreed, but didn’t quite let it go either, “You don’t have to be ready to open the door. Just don’t lock it quite yet.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” she nodded, feigning ignorance, “Well then.”</p><p> </p><p>He shook his head, “You’re having way too much fun with this.”</p><p> </p><p>She laughed, “Well you’re making it a little easy…”</p><p> </p><p>He shrugged, “I’ve never been one to play games…”</p><p> </p><p><em>Yeah, me either</em>.</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t say it out loud, but for some reason it felt like he heard her and his eyes softened, “Not that I mind this one.”</p><p> </p><p>Her insides turned to warm molasses at his tone and his gaze and the way Bobby had gravitated towards him and he’d seemingly unthinkingly dropped his arm around his nephew’s shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>As though Lenny knew she needed a teammate her niece finally left Bobby’s side and held her arms up. Ella picked her up and settled her on her hip, and Lenny buried her face in her neck.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you guys want to sit with us?,” Ella asked.</p><p> </p><p>“We like to stand at the sidelines,” Bobby explained, rather gently. Then grinned, “Where the action is.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella laughed at the prospect of <em>action </em>at a six year old’s soccer game and nodded as though it made quite a bit of sense.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you guys want to join us?,” Robb suggested.</p><p> </p><p>“What say you, Lenny?,” Ella asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Bobby!,” Lenny answered rather predictably.</p><p> </p><p>That settled it and she followed Robb and Bobby towards the center of the field. Marg and Tommy were already standing there, speaking to a gorgeous couple.</p><p> </p><p>“Sansa!,” Lenny called excitedly.</p><p> </p><p>At the sound of her name, Sansa, who was tall and elegant even in jeans and a sweater, smiled brightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey girlycue,” Sansa called back.</p><p> </p><p>Ella let her out of her arms, trying and failing not to be jealous as she watched Lenny run towards Sansa. The woman who she’d truly known her entire life.</p><p> </p><p>Sansa bent down and let Lenny tackle her, falling backwards with a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“Told you she could take care of herself,” Robb joked at her side.</p><p> </p><p>She smiled, “She gets that from my mother.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb smiled too as they made their way over to the small group. Sansa had righted herself and stood up, but Lenny had remained on the ground where she was petting two very happy huskies, one of which was licking her fingers and the other of which was sniffing around her as though checking for any bruises.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh El, there you are,” Tommy said, “We were just talking about you.”</p><p> </p><p>“And hello <em>Robb</em>,” Marg said pointedly.</p><p> </p><p>Robb glared back at her and Ella had to bite her lip not to laugh. It had sounded from Marg’s account that she’d given him quite the hard time, and she was glad that Robb wasn’t taking this so seriously that he didn’t have a sense of humor about it.</p><p> </p><p>“Ella!,” Sansa smiled stepping forward. Before she knew it she was enclosed in a warm hug, and then an excited squeeze, “I’ve heard <em>so </em>much about you. I’m so excited to finally meet you!”</p><p> </p><p>Ella hugged her back, “Same here,” and then admitted, as they let go of one another, “I’m a little jealous of you to be honest.”</p><p> </p><p>Sansa laughed wind chimes, “Of <em>me</em>? You should hear how this lot speak about you! And Marg and you do the funnest things! We just Mum about together.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mum about?,” her husband challenged, “Is Mummying a verb now?”</p><p> </p><p>“It is the way <em>these </em>two do it,” Tommy put in.</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “Good point.” He then turned to her and said, “I’m Jon, by the way.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hi Jon, it’s nice to meet you,” she greeted him.</p><p> </p><p>His brow furrowed, “So why haven’t we? Met before, I mean. I’m sure my wife is about to explain that I already know the reason…”</p><p> </p><p>Before anyone could say anything Lenny announced, “Because Auntie Ella was in Dow-urn with Trystane but then they buh-roke up and now she’s staying here forrrrrrever.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you darling,” Marg grimaced, stroking her arm gently.</p><p> </p><p>Ella smiled at her to let her know it wasn’t a big deal, though she knew her cheeks had turned pink at the mention of Trystane’s name.</p><p> </p><p>She shrugged at Jon and said, “That’s the gist anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well his loss is our gain,” Jon said kindly. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Ella.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can I get choklut?,” Lenny asked Marg.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh that sounds yummy,” Ella agreed, wanting an excuse to get out of there for a moment, “I’ll go get it. Anyone else want one?,” she looked directly at Bobby, “How about you?”</p><p> </p><p>Bobby grinned, “Yes please.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll take one too,” Tommy nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright that is four hot chocolates coming up,” she agreed.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll help you carry,” Robb suggested.</p><p> </p><p>“Sure,” she agreed, because there was no logical reason to say no.</p><p> </p><p>She half expected that Margaery was going to intervene, but her sister-in-law was silent as the grave as she bent down to pet the all white husky. Sansa, Jon and Tommen too all seemed very busy, which made her think that even if Robb didn’t play games the rest of them weren’t as averse.</p><p> </p><p>“So how has it been to be back?,” Robb asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Great,” she answered and then thought about it, “Strange too, but mostly great.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb nodded, “Yeah I was down in the Riverlands for a bit and I felt the same way when I got back. Weird how life goes on. Or it was for me anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>She nodded, “Yeah it’s true. But it’s good too. I never really felt at home in Dorne, and I could have gone back to King’s Landing but… the North feels like home even though I lived here for the shortest amount of time. It has a way of sneaking up on you, I think.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled, “Yeah it’s always been home to me, but I’ve heard as much. And I’m an absolute nightmare in the heat so it’s a good thing I like it here.”</p><p> </p><p>She laughed, “Yeah I think I might be a little grouchier come wintertime.”</p><p> </p><p>He shook his head, “No we’ll just have to teach you how to enjoy it. Skiing, snowshoeing. Drinking mulled wine by the fire.”</p><p> </p><p>“You should have led with that!,” she teased.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright mulled wine is in the <em>good </em>column. See we’re learning here, this is good,” he teased back.</p><p> </p><p>“Gathering data?,” she wondered.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you blame me?,” he wondered back.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I don’t blame you,” she stopped walking and their banter all at once. Robb stopped walking too and looked at her, “And I’m flattered but… Dorne…everything… is still pretty fresh.”</p><p> </p><p>“I get it,” he agreed, “Honestly, I do. It took me a good… six months before I was ready to actually date after my last relationship.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry,” she told him genuinely, “When did that end?”</p><p> </p><p>“Six months ago,” he deadpanned.</p><p> </p><p>She was so surprised that she threw her head back and laughed. She’d expected him to say a year or so, but he was so unapologetic about the whole thing that it was horribly endearing.</p><p> </p><p>“No pressure or anything,” she said when she’d regained her composure.</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “Honestly there isn’t. I meant what I said, I don’t play games and I don’t hide how I feel because what’s the point? But like I said to Marg, I’m not about to get down on one knee, I’d just be lying if I said you weren’t the first woman that I’ve been interested in since my ex.”</p><p> </p><p>He spoke of honesty like it was an absolute. Like it was something so inherent to who he was and how he lived his life that it was almost not worth mentioning. Like he had no idea how rare it was.</p><p> </p><p>He spoke of honesty like he’d like it from her. No matter what.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s only been about a month,” she explained.</p><p> </p><p>“Oof that’s fresh,” he grimaced, “Have you blocked him on social media?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” she admitted.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you made a <em>new </em>social media account so you could see what he’s up to without having to re-follow him?,” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“What? No? Who does that?,” she wondered.</p><p> </p><p>He shook his head, “I mean definitely not me during month two.”</p><p> </p><p>She laughed again because it was impossible not to. She couldn’t imagine Trystane or Aegon or any of the other guys she knew down in Dorne being half so self-deprecating. Down there it was all about being perpetually unfazed.</p><p> </p><p>That restaurant everyone was raving about? Not as good as the sister restaurant in Yunkai. That club everyone went to? So touristy now.</p><p> </p><p>The idea was to be as unimpressed as possible at all times, which really zapped the fun out of everything. She’d been spending so much time with her nieces, who approached everything with the unjaded energy of children, that she had thought it was them. But maybe it was just that up here people cared less for that sort of thing in general.</p><p> </p><p>It was intoxicating to be able to take pleasure in things, to be able to <em>feel </em>them.</p><p> </p><p>“Well at least when I get to that point I’ll know I’m not alone,” she noted, and then asked, “How long until you felt normal?”</p><p> </p><p>“Around month three,” he said, “I guess. It sort of happened in stages, you know? And there are the spurts forward and the steps back. But around month three I really felt more like myself… you know, in a way I hadn’t necessarily when I was with her. If that makes sense.”</p><p> </p><p>She thought about the stilettos and the restaurant openings and the trips to the Summer Isles. She thought about the way she found telephone numbers written on cocktail napkins and the nights Trystane worked late only to come home smelling like vodka and perfume. She thought about the diets she tried and the pilates, hoping to keep his interest. The one or two nights when he’d convinced her to try the new party drug because <em>why not </em>and she’d woken feeling drained and ashamed.</p><p> </p><p>She thought of the relief as the plane took off from Sunspear and how it felt being curled up on Tommy’s couch watching cooking shows with Marg.</p><p> </p><p>And she wondered about the last time she’d been truly honest, not just with someone else but with herself.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me,” she agreed.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Robb nodded, his blue eyes looking straight at her and through her at the same time, “I thought it might.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Okay to be totally honest, I wasn't sure I was ever going to update this, but then inspiration struck. Somehow I feel like this is Taylor Swift's fault.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is kind of you, Mr. Stark,” his intern, Podrick Payne, thanked him.</p><p> </p><p>Robb slapped his back, “Nonsense, we’re overdue.”</p><p> </p><p>They walked into the old Oak Bar at the Wintertown Grand Hotel. It was a cheerful old place, drawing locals and visitors alike through its wood paneling and fireplaces and award-winning drinks. It was around the corner from his office, so he was here often, meeting with clients or after-dinner drinks with Jon or Theon or Tommen.</p><p> </p><p>He’d decided to bring Pod here though as his intern was eager to discuss his future. Surprisingly, or surprising to him after he’d first met him, his work was exceptional. He was never late, always came through, and never shirked on work. Plus, he had that indefinable quality that the best interns had of making themselves indispensable all the while fading into the background.</p><p> </p><p>This was made all the more impressive when Robb took into consideration that it didn’t seem like he had any interest in staying with the company.</p><p> </p><p>The hostess, Jeyne, smiled ecstatically when she saw them and then her face dropped. Robb glanced at Pod but he was very focused on the coffered ceilings, so Jeyne brought them over to a table near one of the fireplaces. They sat down and Pod nervously took the menu from her, looking up at her with a dopey grin before looking away quickly the moment she glanced at him.</p><p> </p><p>She looked at Robb and he shrugged and thanked her, and she walked off.</p><p> </p><p>“You been here before?” he asked, placing his menu down on the table.</p><p> </p><p>“Once or twice, sir,” Pod blushed as he looked at the menu.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s Robb,” he reminded him, “And I don’t think that menu has Jeyne’s telephone number on it.”</p><p> </p><p>Pod blanched and looked at him and then back at his menu. Robb chuckled and checked his phone as Pod stubbornly looked at the selection.</p><p> </p><p>There was no response from Ella. He set the phone down on the table, turning it upside down so he wouldn’t be distracted by each notification.</p><p> </p><p>It was his own fault, his last message hadn’t been a question. He’d talked them into a conversational corner, and she had no reason to fight her way out of it.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t like they texted <em>a lot</em>. In fact he purposefully didn’t text her a lot, but Margaery had given in after the game and texted him Ella’s number along with a warning. He hadn’t waited long to make use of it.</p><p> </p><p><em>Do you think that Dad went home and cried? </em>He’d texted that night.</p><p> </p><p><em>It was an ACCIDENT! </em>She’d responded.</p><p> </p><p><em>You said, “watch this!” to Marg</em> he reminded her, chuckling all the while.</p><p> </p><p>Since then they’d texted a little bit each day. It certainly wasn’t the <em>all-day and all-night </em>texting marathons that people went through at the beginning of relationships, but it was steady enough that when his phone buzzed he felt justified in jumping at it. She’d started a thing of doing a “Captain’s Log” and would send reports.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Day 3, run-in with a local who communicated solely through grunts. Will explore this new language further.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>The local in question had apparently been Jon. He’d felt terrible about it, having run into Ella after a particularly difficult meeting when he was still with some of his colleagues. Sansa had been horrified when Jon had told her about it and arranged an <em>emergency </em>dinner for the following week.</p><p> </p><p>Robb had snagged an invite, as everyone was apparently now very on board with him and Ella falling madly in love.</p><p> </p><p>Everyone except Ella. And maybe him.</p><p> </p><p>Mostly Ella though. He likely wouldn’t take very much convincing. Only a little encouragement.</p><p> </p><p>Their server came over and he ordered an Old Wight neat and Pod ordered a beer, and then glancing at him, changed it to match his order.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you like whiskey?” Robb wondered as the server left.</p><p> </p><p>Pod shrugged, “I’d like to like whiskey.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb chuckled, “Yeah, being able to order the right bottle matters more than it should. I forced it down when I was younger until I developed a taste for it.”</p><p> </p><p>He signaled the server back and canceled their glasses and asked for a set of three smaller ones from different distilleries. Each had their own make-up and undertones – though he sort of hated that he knew that – and he was supposed to be teaching Pod so it might as well be with this.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t be nervous,” Robb said, “We’ll get you a beer if you don’t like it. Now… what happened with you and Jeyne?”</p><p> </p><p>Pod blushed, “What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve seen a lot of looks shared between a lot of people. There’s the awkwardness when you both want to sleep with each other and <em>haven’t</em>. The awkwardness when you’ve slept together and it’s been bad,” Robb explained and glanced at the hostess desk, “And the awkwardness when you’ve slept together and it’s been very very good.”</p><p> </p><p>Pod sighed and fell back against his armchair, “It was incredible.”</p><p> </p><p>“See this is the one I’ve never understood,” Robb told him. “You’ve slept together, and it was good. What’s the problem?”</p><p> </p><p>“Her ex is still in the picture,” Pod explained.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah,” Robb said as the server came back.</p><p> </p><p>She deposited the whiskeys, naming each of them in the row and left them again.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a bit like wine,” he explained, trying to sound as unpretentious as possible, “You’ll want to try light to dark.”</p><p> </p><p>Pod nodded so Robb picked up the lightest one and raised it towards Pod, so Pod did the same. They each sipped it and Robb sat back.</p><p> </p><p>“How in the picture?” Robb asked.</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t really sure why he cared. It annoyed him how much everyone seemed to care about him and Ella and here he was doing the same thing to his poor, captive intern. But it was hard to ignore that kind of chemistry when it was right in your face.</p><p> </p><p>Pod took the opportunity to set down his whiskey and Robb did his best to hide his smirk.</p><p> </p><p>Pod glanced towards the hostess stand and then looked back at him and shrugged, “Hard to tell. He texts a lot. But it’s more like he’s still there, even when he’s not. Whatever he did fucked her up.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And I’m flattered but… Dorne… everything... is still pretty fresh.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yeah,” Robb agreed. “It’s tough to-“</p><p> </p><p>His eyes caught on a flash of gold in his periphery. Across the room, being brought right towards him was Ella. She looked gorgeous in a long sleeve burgundy dress and was accompanied by two men.</p><p> </p><p>Pod turned and looked at the exact moment that Ella’s eyes flashed to his. A small smile appeared on her face and she pressed the arm of one of the men. He knew him too actually, Barristan Selmy.  </p><p> </p><p>The party moved towards their table as a whole, so Robb pushed away from the table and stood up.</p><p> </p><p>“Robb Stark,” Barristan greeted him, his hand extended.</p><p> </p><p>He shook it, “Mr. Selmy, nice to see you again, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you know Arys Oakheart?” Barristan asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t believe so,” Robb admitted and shook Arys’ hand.</p><p> </p><p>“But you do know Miss Baratheon?” Barristan prompted.</p><p> </p><p>“I do,” he agreed, unsure of whether he should offer her his hand. “Ella.”</p><p> </p><p>“Robb,” she matched his formality and then grinned and stepped forward to press a light kiss to his cheek.</p><p> </p><p>He could smell her herbal perfume and her lips made his cheek tingle. She turned towards Pod and Robb cleared his throat.</p><p> </p><p>“May I introduce Podrick Payne,” he extended his arm.</p><p> </p><p>“Any relation to Ilyn?” Barristan asked.</p><p> </p><p>Pod’s voice cracked, “My uncle, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>Barristan nodded, his refusal to editorialize a critique in and of itself.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what brings you all here?” Robb asked.</p><p> </p><p>“This lot is interviewing me,” Ella answered for all three of them.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s now how I’d describe it,” Arys argued.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve already made you an offer,” Barristan pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>“Cross your fingers for me, k?” Ella teased.</p><p> </p><p>Robb chuckled and nodded, “Yeah, I hope they’re not too tough on you.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella’s eyes smiled into his and he wanted to say something else but Barristan cleared his throat.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll leave you to it,” Ella agreed. “Nice to meet you, Podrick. Mr. Stark.”</p><p> </p><p>“Miss Baratheon,” he nodded.</p><p> </p><p>She led Arys and Barristan away and he heard them chuckling behind him. He and Pod retook their seats and he wondered if it would be very obvious if they switched.</p><p> </p><p>“So, which one is she?” Pod asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm?” he asked, taking another sip of the lightest whiskey.</p><p> </p><p>“Which type of awkwardness?” Pod asked. He leaned to the left, clearly looking at the table. “<em>My gods... </em>Is she a model?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Robb chuckled, “I don’t think so, anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>“So?” Pod asked. “Which is it?”</p><p> </p><p>It was an impertinent thing to ask, but it was a little difficult to toe that line given he’d just been questioning Pod about Jeyne.</p><p> </p><p>“We just met,” he told him. “She’s sort of a friend of the family.”</p><p> </p><p>“My family has <em>got </em>to get better friends,” Pod sighed and downed the rest of the first thing of whiskey.</p><p> </p><p>Even as he was doing it, it was clear that he knew it was a mistake and his eyes widened as he set the glass down.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry,” Robb shook his head, “I’ll join you.”</p><p> </p><p>With that he tossed the rest of his back as well. Pod told him all about Jeyne. How he’d spent money drinking here that he hadn’t been earning, just so that he could see her. How one night he’d just bit the bullet and how nothing in his life had ever worked out better than that night.</p><p> </p><p>They finally did get around to talking about Pod’s future. His family wanted him back south, but he wanted to stay north. Robb knew he could make him an offer, but he’d have to get the right thing together.</p><p> </p><p>When they’d finished their three whiskeys he signaled for the bill, knowing Pod couldn’t take much more and still be at work on time tomorrow. He paid, brushing off Pod’s feeble arguments, and they stood up to leave.</p><p> </p><p>“Robb,” a deep voice called as he did.</p><p> </p><p>Robb turned around and saw that it was Barristan.</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t go over there,” Pod admitted, his words curving at the ends.</p><p> </p><p>Robb patted his shoulder, “Save yourself, I’ll make your excuses.”</p><p> </p><p>Pod nodded and ambled off, so Robb grabbed his phone and put it in the interior pocket of his suit jacket and smoothed his tie before heading over.</p><p> </p><p>“So, I see you’ve all survived,” he greeted the trio.</p><p> </p><p>“It was touch and go,” Ella noted.</p><p> </p><p>“Join us,” Barristan urged.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude,” he demurred.</p><p> </p><p>“We need you to settle something for us,” Arys informed him.</p><p> </p><p>Robb glanced at Ella and she rolled her eyes at him over her martini glass. He had no idea what that roll of her eyes met, but he sorely wanted to be in on it, so he pulled the extra chair away from the table and sat down.</p><p> </p><p>“How can I help?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>Barristan held his hand up, signaling to a server, “Let’s get you reinforced before we get to all of that.”</p><p> </p><p>The server came over and he ordered another of his original whiskey and she disappeared. He was across the table from Ella, Barristan and Arys were on their either sides. She was closest to the fire, and he knew that they had placed her there, as he would have.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t know Barristan well, but his Dad had always spoken of him with respect, if not affection. Arys, he knew little about, but he suspected was cut from a similar cloth if Barristan had him at the table.</p><p> </p><p>“How’s that Payne boy working out?” Barristan asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Very well,” Robb said and admitted, “I had my reservations at first, but I’m going to try to keep him North.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do,” Barristan nodded. “Keep him out of Tywin’s grasp.”</p><p> </p><p>“I should be offended,” Ella noted.</p><p> </p><p>“And are you?” Barristan asked.</p><p> </p><p>They all turned to look at her and she scrunched her nose in a pretty adorable manner, “No.” Then looked directly at him, “And do, keep him here. His uncle is already far too much my grandfather’s creature.”</p><p> </p><p>“You know him?” Robb asked, “His uncle?”</p><p> </p><p>She nodded, “He’s worked for my family for years.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh you should have – “</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable,” she explained.</p><p> </p><p>“He didn’t mention anything,” Robb realized. “About your family I mean.”</p><p> </p><p>She nodded, “My father was estranged. There’s no reason he would have known. It’s the Lannisters his family knows.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb nodded though it felt a little like he wasn’t getting the whole story. If he or one of his siblings ran into Beth Cassel they would address the connection right away.</p><p> </p><p>But then he remembered that Ella had told him that the North felt the most like home, even though she’d lived here the shortest period of time, and that not all families were like his.</p><p> </p><p>The server brought his whiskey and he thanked her and then held it towards them all before taking a sip.</p><p> </p><p>He placed it on the table and smoothed his tie, “So.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a troublemaker,” Ella told Barristan as she took another sip of his martini.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll have your chance to rebut,” Barristan scolded her, and Robb’s mouth twitched. He let out a single laugh when Ella made a big show of resigning herself and then turned back to Barristan. “So, Robb. Here is the question. Do you think it is possible to view someone you love as they are?”</p><p> </p><p>Of all the debates he thought he might have been asked to settle, this was perhaps the one he’d least expect. He had imagined, though he realized that was foolish now, that it would be a question related to business. He should have known, given Arys’ reservedness and Barristan’s mirthful eyes and the way Ella had tried to wave him off.</p><p> </p><p>He took a sip of his drink and set it down. He looked at Barristan, who had the beginnings of a smile on his lips, and Arys whose face might have been sculpted from stone for all it gave away, and then at Ella. He wondered which end of the debate she fell on. He could guess, but he knew that though this was Barristan’s game, she was keeping score.</p><p> </p><p>Everything he knew about her so far, which admittedly was very little, suggested she had very little patience for people who measured their words based on what they thought she’d liked to hear.</p><p> </p><p>So he turned to Barristan and answered honestly, “Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella opened her mouth, confirming his guess, and Barristan held his hand up, “No, no. Let him defend his thesis.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb glanced at her and Ella lifted a challenging brow. Now it went beyond wanting to impress Barristan, and her most of all. He wanted to convince her. Something told him she was not easily persuaded out of her own mind.</p><p> </p><p>He thought about it for a moment and then told Barristan, “Sometimes when you’re looking through rose-colored glasses - you’re looking at roses.”</p><p> </p><p>Barristan picked his up his glass and raised it towards him, so Robb lifted his and clinked it against his, “Well said.” Then leaned forward and confided, “If I’d come up with that line a half hour ago it would have saved me pain from this one.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb glanced at Ella where Barristan was pointing, who in spite of his declaration of victory did not look like one who had been defeated.</p><p> </p><p>“Isn’t that sort of like saying ‘even a broken clock is right twice a day?’” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Ha!” Barristan guffawed, then pointed at him, “I like his better.”</p><p> </p><p>“Only because it agrees with <em>you</em>,” Ella noted.</p><p> </p><p>Barristan through up his hands, “Of course. So, it is three against one, Ella. Will you surrender or is this the hill you choose to die on?”</p><p> </p><p>“Robb may have answered differently if he knew I was the rose in question,” Ella pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>“Not likely,” he cut in.</p><p> </p><p>Her green eyes flashed to his and the most spectacular blush he’d ever seen bloomed on her cheeks. He held her gaze until it was her who looked away and only when she turned to Barristan did he as well.</p><p> </p><p>Barristan’s eyes were on him for a moment before he turned to Ella.</p><p> </p><p>“I accept your overly generous offer,” Ella said. “On a trial basis. If you promise to give me a walloping if I let you down.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb gulped, once again caught by surprise. He might have guessed that Ella was the rose in question, but not that it had to do with the job.</p><p> </p><p>“That I agree to without reservation,” Barristan nodded.</p><p> </p><p>Ella glanced at Arys who also nodded, “Of course.”</p><p> </p><p>“Congratulations?” he offered.</p><p> </p><p>She looked at him in surprise and then let out a giggle, “Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Barristan said to Arys, “Now that we have accomplished what we set out to, I think we ought to allow the young people to continue their debate.”</p><p> </p><p>“Trouble. Maker.” Ella repeated to no one.</p><p> </p><p>“I heard that,” Barristan noted.</p><p> </p><p>“I wasn’t whispering,” Ella pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>Barristan chuckled and stood up so the rest of them did too.</p><p> </p><p>“Will you tell him, or shall I?” Barristan asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I will,” Ella sighed, “I’m sure he can’t wait to tell me he told me so. I’d hate to deny him the pleasure.”</p><p> </p><p>Barristan chuckled and then his face turned to one of unmitigated adoration as Ella pressed a kiss to his cheek. She turned to Arys and offered him one as well. The smile of the quieter, younger man made him look far less imperious than he had only a moment ago.  </p><p> </p><p>“Robb, I hope to see you again soon,” Barristan said.</p><p> </p><p>“And you, sir,” he agreed.</p><p> </p><p>“One more,” Barristan said, gesturing to Ella’s martini glass, “And then I expect her to be put into a taxi.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you for that,” Ella said primly, sitting back in her seat.</p><p> </p><p>Robb took it as a good sign, after all, she could have left.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course,” he agreed, “But if she throws it in my face, am I allowed to buy her a second?”</p><p> </p><p>Barristan chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. Arys nodded at him and he nodded back and then they took their leave. He looked at Ella, she was sitting there with one leg crossed over the other, her hands in her lap, a small smirk on her face.</p><p> </p><p>He pushed Arys’ drink out of the way and took the seat that he had been sitting in.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello,” she returned.</p><p> </p><p>“Who were you two talking about?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“My Uncle Jaime,” she told him. “Barristan is his godfather, so he’s… well I don’t really know what he is to me.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you polled the rest of the people in here, they’d have guessed grandfather,” he told her.</p><p> </p><p>Ella laughed and she shook her head, “I’m sorry, it might be funnier to you if you knew my grandfather.”</p><p> </p><p>“Tommen’s told stories,” he offered.</p><p> </p><p>“And Marg has told more?” she guessed, and he nodded, eliciting that delighted laugh again.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what’s the job?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be their acting Director of Philanthropy,” she said and then dismissed it immediately, “Just until they find someone more qualified.”</p><p> </p><p>“How hard do you think he’ll look?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes went wide and then her smile crinkled them. She pursed her lips, “Probably not very.”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled and raised his glass, “Well congratulations.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” she smiled, then leaned forward conspiratorially, “I really wanted it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then why did you-“</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want to let him down,” she told him.</p><p> </p><p>“Then you won’t,” he shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>“Is it that simple?” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>She might have been challenging him, but she didn’t seem to be. He wasn’t sure what job she had down south, if any. Her trust fund probably more than covered her lifestyle and then some. Either way, this was a part of her regaining her sense of self. The one she’d seem to have left when she’d gone south.</p><p> </p><p>“Not for everyone,” he admitted, “But for you, I’d wager, yes.”</p><p> </p><p>She placed her elbow on the arm of her chair and rested her cheek in her palm, and then she extended her other hand and touched his cheek gently, right next to his eye. He felt a jolt of <em>something </em>at her touch and he was afraid to move a muscle for fear of scaring her away.</p><p> </p><p>“Those rose-colored glasses look nice on you,” she told him.</p><p> </p><p>Warmth flooded his whole body as she looked into his eyes. She dropped her hand and it went to the table before she picked up her martini glass. She took the last sip and placed it back on the table, her brows knit.</p><p> </p><p>He had no idea what she was thinking about, all he knew was that he wanted to feel whatever that was again.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what do you say?” he asked. “One more?”</p><p> </p><p>“And then you’ll put me into a taxi,” she repeated.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course,” he agreed. “I promised, didn’t I?”</p><p> </p><p>She looked at him, her eyes wandering over his face, “And you’re not in the habit of breaking promises, are you?”</p><p> </p><p>He would have told her that no, he wasn’t, but she wasn’t asking. It looked instead, to him, that she was realizing.</p><p> </p><p>Robb imagined that there had no shortage of men in her life who had broken the promises they’d made to her, and more still who had been a great rush to assure her they never would.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t want to join either of those ranks.</p><p> </p><p>“Stick around,” he suggested, “See for yourself.”</p><p> </p><p>And for the first time, her smile suggested that she just might.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>so what do we think, should I continue?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ohhh writing this chapter was a nice little respite from the intensity of the other things I've been writing! I love this little universe and I'm so happy you all do too.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a long time since she’d driven singing to the radio. She had never been a good driver, even she could admit that, and since she’d returned to the North and gotten herself her car she’d been so focused on not crashing it that she hadn’t felt comfortable.</p><p> </p><p>But her third day at her new job had been <em>good</em>. It had been <em>blast-that-girl-power-from-high-school </em>good.</p><p> </p><p>It had been a long time since she’d felt like that, too.</p><p> </p><p>So on her drive over to Jon and Sansa’s, where they were having a <em>sorry-Jon-was-such-a-grump-welcome-to-Wintertown </em>dinner, she had turned the radio up. She had rolled her windows down – and then promptly back up because it was cold here. And she had <em>sang</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Normally she could carry a tune but she had no interest in that. All she wanted was to scream out the lyrics and not care if she looked cool or pretty or anything else she’d spent the last three years worried about.</p><p> </p><p>As <em>Say My Name </em>– one that held new meaning to her now – ended, Myrcella turned off the main street onto a side one. Her GPS told her she was just a few minutes from their home. Adele came on the radio, and just like that it started raining.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s good,” Myrcella mused.</p><p> </p><p>She turned on her windshield wipers. Or she tried to, rather. In actuality her high beams came on. She turned those off and hit a different lever and somehow, unbelievably, her high beams seemed to come <em>back </em>on. She hit another one and then her turn signal was on.</p><p> </p><p>There was a car in front of her and it slowed. She used the time to try to find her actual windshield wipers, but all that turned on was the back ones.</p><p> </p><p>“Get it together, Baratheon,” she sighed.</p><p> </p><p>And then there was a knock on her window and she screamed. She’d never be able to get away from a psychotic killer if she had to call a taxi to do it.</p><p> </p><p>She turned to her left though and she could practically hear her heartbeat, because standing there in the rain was not a psychotic killer, but rather a very amused Robb Stark.</p><p> </p><p>She hit the button for her window – thankfully that one was too obvious to screw up.</p><p> </p><p>He gave her a grin and asked in a very convincing accent, “Having some trouble, ma’am?”</p><p> </p><p>She could feel a blush rising on her cheeks and explained, “New car. Trying to find the windshield wipers.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are they hiding those now?” he teased.</p><p> </p><p>His suit was getting all wet but he gave the distinct impression that he’d stay there all night until he was soaked through if it meant he’d get to keep teasing her.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not entirely convinced this car <em>has </em>windshield wipers,” she told him imperiously.</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “Open up.”</p><p> </p><p>Myrcella glanced behind her, hoping they hadn’t stopped traffic entirely. There was no one else on the road though in either direction.</p><p> </p><p>She unlocked her door and he pulled it open, leaning inside. She could see the rain drops in his curls and he smelled so good.</p><p> </p><p>He turned off her highbeams first and then the back windshield. And then he turned around to look at her.</p><p> </p><p>He was so close that she suddenly felt dizzy. She’d felt it before too, after their drink at the Oak Bar. He’d walked her outside and hailed her a taxi, just as he’d promised Barristan. He’d opened the door for her, a hand gently on the small of her back and for a brief moment she’d been afraid – excited, hopeful – that he was going to kiss her. His eyes had even looked at her lips briefly, she was almost sure of it, but he’d merely rubbed her back with his thumb once and said <em>text me when you get home, if it’s not too much trouble</em>.</p><p> </p><p>His hand took hold of hers and Myrcella hadn’t realized that she’d interlaced their fingers until he looked down at them and smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“Um…so this…,” he said, bringing her hand to a lever she was pretty sure she’d pulled but must not have, “Is your windshield wiper. And if you turn this part it changes the speed.”</p><p> </p><p>She closed her eyes in shame. Here he was, helping her out, and she was imagining him taking her on the side of the road like he was some sort of highway vagabond.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” she managed, removing her fingers from his grasp so that she didn’t have to face the humiliation of him releasing them as well.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh it’s my pleasure,” he told her in such a way that it was clear he was smiling even though her eyes were still closed. She opened them to glare at him but found she couldn’t when he was looking at her lips. And there was no mistaking it this time. “We’re um…”</p><p> </p><p>It felt good to frazzle him for a change so she all but fluttered her eyelashes, “We’re…”</p><p> </p><p>“Close,” he answered and then realizing how true that was he backed away, smacking his head on the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my!” she exclaimed, leaning forwards, “Are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>“Never better,” he grimaced, rubbing the back of his head. He chuckled, “What I was going to say is we’re close to the house. Why don’t you turn off your GPS and just follow me? It never works around here anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>She nodded and with another look at her he closed her door and then jogged back to his car. He turned it on quickly and started driving so she followed, rolling up her window.</p><p> </p><p>It really was just a few minutes away, they turned down a long drive and Myrcella looked out over the gorgeous countryside. It was such a cheerful place, with an apple orchard on one side and her heart rate slowed just driving through it. Robb kept a slow pace, as though afraid she’d run herself off the road otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>They pulled into a long circular drive, and she saw Tommen’s car already there. Robb pulled in behind it so she parked behind him.</p><p> </p><p>She opened her door as he opened his and was surprised when his head popped out and said, “Wait!”</p><p> </p><p>She did just that and he appeared a moment later, holding a huge umbrella that he opened and then got out of his car and walked over to her. He held it over her door and held his hand out for hers.</p><p> </p><p>She might have told him that she could get herself out of the car but she didn’t, and just placed her hand in his and moved to get out.</p><p> </p><p>Except that she couldn’t. Because she was still buckled in.</p><p> </p><p>“I give up!” she groaned, falling back against her seat. “Don’t even look at me.”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “Couldn’t stop if I wanted to.”</p><p> </p><p>Flames licked up her cheeks and she unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her bag, letting him pull her out of the car.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” he grinned.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi,” she smiled.</p><p> </p><p>She closed her door and stuck close to him, so that she wouldn’t get wet, as he walked her to the front door.</p><p> </p><p>“Aren’t you freezing?” she wondered, it was cold out and he was still pretty wet.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s alright, Sansa’ll make a fuss over me,” Robb assured her.</p><p> </p><p>Somehow, as though the gods wanted to apologize for the past ten minutes, she managed not to squeal. She couldn’t think of anything cuter than Robb wanting his little sister to make a fuss out of him.</p><p> </p><p>She went to knock on the door but Robb opened it and brought her inside.</p><p> </p><p>“HONEY, I’M HOME!” he called.</p><p> </p><p>Chaos struck. There was barking and screaming and the sound of paws and little feet.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you hold this for a second?” he asked her, handing her the umbrella.</p><p> </p><p>She took it from him just in time as a tiny little tornado threw herself at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Uncle Robb you’re here you’re here you’re here,” Kitty was telling him.</p><p> </p><p>Robb had caught her easily and was hugging her back, “You got bigger.”</p><p> </p><p>“You saw me on Sunday!” Kitty giggled.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, I don’t make the rules,” Robb shrugged, and then turned to her. “You remember –“</p><p> </p><p>“Auntie Ella!” Kitty grinned, as she’d been calling her since her nieces introduced her as such.</p><p> </p><p>It was impossible not to smile back at her beautiful little face. She was Sansa’s miniature with sweet grey eyes that mixed her mother’s blue with her father’s charcoal.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi cutie,” she greeted her.</p><p> </p><p>Kitty wiggled out of Robb’s arms and took her hand, “Joey and Lenny are here too! Come see, come see.”</p><p> </p><p>“Lead the way,” she agreed.</p><p> </p><p>Robb took the umbrella out of her hands and with another glance at him she followed his niece into the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>“AUNTIE ELLA!!!!!!!” Joey and Lenny shouted, as though Marg and Tommy hadn’t told them she was coming.</p><p> </p><p>She leaned down to hug them both and they tackled her to the ground and she was in a tangle of little limbs and lavender shampoo.</p><p> </p><p>Lenny had crawled into her lap and Joey was on her back, her arms wrapped around her neck.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh I missed you I missed you I missed you,” Joey was telling her.</p><p> </p><p>She reached her arm behind her so she could cup Joey’s head, “I missed you too.”</p><p> </p><p>She’d seen the girls this weekend as well, but it didn’t matter.</p><p> </p><p>“Girls, let Auntie Ella up,” Marg laughed.</p><p> </p><p>She looked up and saw that there were five adults and three dogs looking at her.</p><p> </p><p>“You have a lovely home,” she told Sansa.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” Sansa laughed, “I’d say Welcome but … I think that’s been taken care of.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella giggled and then her nieces made a big show of helping her to stand up, which honestly made it a bit more difficult.</p><p> </p><p>“What about me?” Robb asked.</p><p> </p><p>Sansa turned to look at him as though just noticing he was there, and her face fell, “Robb you’re soaked through! Take off that jacket, you’re going to catch a cold.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine, Dovey,” he grinned, though he did her bidding and took off his suit jacket.</p><p> </p><p>“Jon go get him something to put on,” Sansa urged.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh he’s fine,” Jon reasoned but Sansa’s quick look at him had him fleeing out of the room.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you have an umbrella?” Sansa asked.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s my fault,” Ella noted, “He came to my rescue just down the road.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Did </em>he now?” Marg asked and Ella looked over at her in time to catch her wink as she took a sip of wine.</p><p> </p><p>Tommy though immediately went into brother mode and stepped forward, “Are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>She understood why Robb liked Sansa fussing over him. Something pulled at her heart whenever Tommy got all protective.</p><p> </p><p>“Just a victim of my own stupidity,” she assured him, “Haven’t gotten the hang of the car yet.”</p><p> </p><p>“El it’s been <em>weeks,</em>” Tommy groaned. “I’m taking you to an empty parking lot this weekend to practice.”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” she argued, “You make me nervous, you just sit there like you’re about to pull the emergency break.”</p><p> </p><p>“He actually did that to me once,” Marg told her. “That was a fun weekend, wasn’t it, baby?”</p><p> </p><p>Everyone turned to look at Tommy as he blushed, “It was not.”</p><p> </p><p>They all laughed at him and Marg poured her a glass of wine as Robb went into the fridge to grab a beer. Jon came in a minute later, handing Robb a sweater and then pressed a kiss to her cheek, apologizing once again for his behavior the week before.</p><p> </p><p>She wanted to help Sansa, but her and Marg were a force. They seemed to move in symmetry with the other, one stirring a sauce as the other filled a pitcher with water. She ended up just standing there until a platter was ready to be brought into the dining room, but of course the minute she grabbed that Robb took it out of her hands and when she went to grab another Jon materialized out of thin air.</p><p> </p><p>She felt rather useless, but sweet Lenny came over and demanded attention so she picked her up and placed her on the island so that Lenny could tell her all about the adventures of preschool.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright everyone,” Sansa smiled when everything was out, “Oh Bobby will you get Uncle Rickon?”</p><p> </p><p>Bobby ran to the stairs and shouted, “UNCLE RICKON DINNERTIME!!!”</p><p> </p><p>“If only we could have done that,” Jon teased Sansa.</p><p> </p><p>“BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM,” Kitty said as Uncle Rickon ran down the stairs. It really did sound like a stampede.</p><p> </p><p>He appeared a second later with an enormous dog, still in what looked to be a football practice uniform. It was like seeing what Robb would have looked like in high school. They had the same exact features, Robb’s just a little more formalized.</p><p> </p><p>“Maaargy,” Rickon greeted her sister-in-law.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi handsome,” she grinned.</p><p> </p><p>Tommy cleared his throat and Rickon looked at him, “Hello, nemesis.”</p><p> </p><p>“Usurper,” Tommy nodded at him. “Can I introduce my <em>very very single </em>sister?”</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks for that,” she sighed, feeling a blush as everyone laughed.</p><p> </p><p>Everyone except Rickon whose jaw dropped as he looked at her. He was adorable.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi Rickon,” she greeted him.</p><p> </p><p>“Who are you sitting next to at dinner?” he asked her, as though she was not ten years older than him.</p><p> </p><p>“Me!” Joey and Lenny, her faithful protectors informed him.</p><p> </p><p>“Foiled again,” Jon grinned at him, ruffling his hair as her nieces led her into the dining room.</p><p> </p><p>They all settled around the table. Lenny and Joey flanked her on either side and either by design or happenstance, Robb was seated across from her.</p><p> </p><p>“Everything looks delicious,” she told Sansa. “Thank you so much for having me.”</p><p> </p><p>“It was the least I could do!” Sansa informed her with a pointed glance at Jon who held his hands up as though to say <em>who me? </em>Sansa grinned and then turned back to her, “But I’ve been wanting to do this for ages. I can’t believe you’ve been here these past few weeks and we haven’t had you over!”</p><p> </p><p>“You, me, and Emily Post,” Robb teased her.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah darling,” Marg said to Sansa, taking hold of her hand, “This is actually an intervention. You’ve become…<em>oh I can’t, Tommy you tell her</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Tommy shook his head, “You know I do not tease the marvelous Mrs. Snow.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank <em>you</em>,” Sansa said to him and then looked at her, “Your brother is my only ally most of the time.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is that right?” Ella asked, looking at Robb, “Then fair’s fair… right? Rickon?”</p><p> </p><p>Robb had been beginning to grin and then his jaw fell open and he let out a surprised laugh. He was joined in by everyone else when Rickon said, “Ally, husband. I’ll be whatever you want.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll have to start calling <em>you </em>the usurper!” Marg leaned over to tell her.</p><p> </p><p>Dinner went on like this, everyone passing food and teasing one another. There were a hundred different conversations going on at one time and it was overwhelmingly lovely.</p><p> </p><p>The Snows and Starks and Baratheons all had their own relationships. She watched as Bobby convinced Lenny to eat her sweet potatoes and the way Joey quietly finished all of hers as though wondering if he’d notice. Kitty played referee between her uncles, and though it was clear Rickon, only nine years her senior, was more like a brother to her, Robb seemed to be her favorite. Jon and Marg were debating the merits of two places she’d never heard of, while Tommy and Sansa discussed a show she’d forgotten to get into a while back.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t that they left her out, they didn’t. In fact, each of them brought her into their conversations, sometimes all at once, but it was nice to sit here and listen to them all. She loved having dinner at Tommy and Marg’s, they were always filled with laughter, but this was something different entirely.</p><p> </p><p>She couldn’t help but think about all the dinner parties she’d attended in the south where no one ate a thing and everyone wanted to be the first to bring something up – and if they weren’t, they immediately took to insulting the thing and the person who was.</p><p> </p><p>Once she’d teased Trystane about something silly and the whole way home he’d asked her why she was trying to <em>undermine </em>her. Asking her if she wasn’t getting enough attention or if she was just vindictive.</p><p> </p><p>She felt something nudge her foot and when she looked at Robb it was obvious it was his.</p><p> </p><p>Conversations and laughing were going on all around them but his face was intent, and he mouthed, <em>You okay?</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>Her chest warmed and she smiled, “I was just wondering what stage this is.”</p><p> </p><p>She liked that she didn’t have to tell him she was referencing their conversation from the soccer game. It was clear that he just got it.</p><p> </p><p>Robb glanced around the table, his eyes softening and a small, perplexed smile took over his face.</p><p> </p><p>He turned back to her and answered, “Relief.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s the best one yet,” she confessed.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes wandered over her and even though they were across the table it affected her as much as it had when his hand was on her back.</p><p> </p><p>No more though than when he said, “The next one’ll knock the wind right out of you.”  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“That’s not what Rickon said,” Theon challenged.</p><p> </p><p>“Stop corrupting him,” Robb admonished.</p><p> </p><p>Theon chuckled, grabbing the door and opening it, “I can’t help it if your little brother likes me better.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb refused to take the bait and walked into the bar behind Theon. His friend wasn’t letting it go though.</p><p> </p><p>“In fact, I heard you two were outside talking for <em>quite some time</em>,” Theon went on.</p><p> </p><p>“You two are worse than Jon and Sansa, and YES OFFENCE,” Robb informed him.</p><p> </p><p>“None taken, baby,” Theon grinned. “So?”</p><p> </p><p>“So,” Robb nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“Stop being such a little bitch about this,” Theon sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you want me to say? We talked,” Robb confirmed.</p><p> </p><p>“In the rain, under an umbrella?” Theon asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Fucking Rickon,” Robb sighed, and Theon let out a holler, clapping him on the back.</p><p> </p><p>In spite of himself he couldn’t help but smile at the memory. Dinner the other night had been great. His family loved her, truly, and it seemed impossible that someone so beautiful and intelligent and feisty could be so… <em>cute</em>, but watching her with her nieces was the visual equivalent of the taste of marshmallows in hot chocolate.</p><p> </p><p>Tommy and Marg had left right after dinner to get Lenny home to bed, and Ella had offered to stay and help Sansa clean up. He then offered to put Kitty to bed, his ears perked as he read her a story to make sure he could still hear Sansa and Ella’s laughter downstairs.</p><p> </p><p>He’d come back down as they were finishing up, and though Sansa asked if either wanted another drink they both demurred. Well Ella did first, citing not wanting to drive after having more than a glass, and he confirmed that he had an early meeting.</p><p> </p><p>He’d offered to walk her out and as it was still raining, they shared his umbrella again. Laughing about their nieces and his nephew led to raving about Sansa’s cooking and smiling at how in love their siblings were with their spouses. And then he’d asked her about her new job and she’d been so excited that he hadn’t even noticed how pink her nose had gotten from the cold until he touched her hand and realized she was frozen through.</p><p> </p><p>He’d opened her car door and she sat in the driver’s seat but there was still so much more to say so they’d kept talking.</p><p> </p><p>She’d followed him back along the road until he’d gone towards his neighborhood and she to hers.</p><p> </p><p>He’d texted her when he got home: <em>Did you make it?</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>Her response of the eyeroll emoji had made him smirk but he left it there and hadn’t stopped thinking about her since, three days later.</p><p> </p><p>They ordered their drinks and Theon started telling him about how the trial he was working on was going. It sounded like the defense was fumbling and Theon was having a grand time watching them squirm, lying in wait before dealing the killing blow.</p><p> </p><p>He showed him the farm where he was arranging for Kitty to get horseback riding lessons. She was turning six on Thursday and her birthday party was on Saturday. When Bobby had turned six he’d signed him up for drum lessons – which Sansa made him promise not to repeat with her wilder daughter – so it was only fair his niece got to learn something too. She loved horses and he’d taken her out a few times on the front of his when he went riding with Sansa, and the place he’d found specialized in teaching children.</p><p> </p><p>He was helping Theon choose a gift for her when he caught sight of gold in his periphery. Even though he knew it was crazy, it would be <em>too </em>crazy if it was her, he turned towards it. Theon noticed and turned as well.</p><p> </p><p>“Dibs,” Theon said quickly.</p><p> </p><p>She’d been coming from further back in the bar and must have caught sight of him as well because she turned with a slow, bright grin on her face.</p><p> </p><p>“No deal,” Robb informed him.</p><p> </p><p>“Dude it’s the rule,” Theon argued, then took to narrating, “She’s coming over here, dude she’s coming over here, she’s here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Of all the gin joints,” Ella teased.</p><p> </p><p>She was wearing a soft looking pale blue sweater that wrapped at her waist and left much of her shoulders bare, as though any moment it could just slip off them entirely, and her hair was pulled off her face, revealing miles of slender neck.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me you didn’t drive here,” he half-pleaded, half-teased.</p><p> </p><p>She blushed but laughed, “<em>No</em>. This is my local. I live just around the corner…” and then closed her eyes, an adorably embarrassed smile on her face, “She said before realizing how that sounded.”</p><p> </p><p>He and Theon both chuckled and he said, “Look at you, having a local and everything.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” she smiled, happy without a hint of the self-consciousness he sometimes saw from her. This girl would be stunning weeping but when she was happy, she competed with the sun. She proudly informed him, “They make the best martini this side of the city.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you a connoisseur of martinis?” Theon asked.</p><p> </p><p>Ella turned to him, blinking, as though she’d forgotten he was sitting there. Robb tried not to let that go to his head but failed spectacularly.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded though with a shrug, “I’ve done my ten thousand hangovers.”</p><p> </p><p>“Join us,” Robb suggested, “Make it ten thousand and one.” Then realized she probably wasn’t alone and said, “Unless you’re here with someone.”</p><p> </p><p>“Even if you are,” Theon noted. “A twin, perhaps?”</p><p> </p><p>Ella threw her head back and laughed, “You must be Theon.”</p><p> </p><p>Theon grinned but turned to him and then back, “Ahh, Miss Baratheon. I was wondering when we’d meet.”</p><p> </p><p>“In thunder, lightning or in rain?” Ella asked.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Don’t.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Of course though, being Theon, he did.  </p><p> </p><p>“Well from what I hear, you two have already checked rain off your list,” Theon mused.</p><p> </p><p>Ella blushed but turned to him, “Spreading rumors about me again, Stark?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just trying to increase my street cred, Baratheon,” he shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes flashed with something that made him regret it instantly, but it disappeared just as quickly, as though she was recalibrating something.</p><p> </p><p>She laughed then but demurred, “I don’t want to interrupt bro time.”</p><p> </p><p>“Bro time was made to be interrupted,” Theon theorized.</p><p> </p><p>To Robb’s surprise, Theon got off his bar seat and pulled it out for her before he sat in the one beside it. In all his life, Robb had never seen him pull out a chair for anyone except Sansa – and even that was only when she was pregnant or holding an infant.</p><p> </p><p>He wondered momentarily if Theon was actually going to turn this into a competition, but his posture was friendly rather than flirtatious. They both signaled for the bartender, but he only looked at Ella who nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what brings you two to my neighborhood?” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’ve got a girl to go see,” Theon told her, which gave Robb his final piece of security. It wouldn’t have been out of the realm of possibility for Theon to dangle a girl in front of another, but it would be out of the realm of possibility for it to work on Ella. “Lives around the corner too.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Does </em>she?” Ella asked. “And, is it love?”</p><p> </p><p>Theon chuckled, “So I guess you haven’t heard <em>everything</em> about me then.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella smiled and thanked the bartender who brought her an oversized martini. It was obvious how cold it was just by looking at it and it was filled to the brim, a delicate spiral of lemon rind poking out. He wondered how she’d managed to drink it without spilling.</p><p> </p><p>She held it up though and said, “To learning more.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll drink to that, gorgeous,” Theon agreed, clinking his glass against hers.</p><p> </p><p>She turned to him and as though the gods wanted to teach him the dangers of wishful thinking, that sweater fell just barely down her shoulder, revealing a lace strap and destroying his ability for rational thought.</p><p> </p><p>Which is why he pushed, “How about everything?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ask me on the next one,” she suggested and he grinned, nodding and clinked his glass against hers.</p><p> </p><p>She turned to Theon, crossing her dark-tight-jeans clad legs and leaned back against the seat, holding her glass casually between slender fingers.</p><p> </p><p>“So, is love too much trouble?” she asked him.</p><p> </p><p>Theon took a sip of whiskey and said, “No, me and trouble have always been good friends.” Ella took a sip of her drink and waited, and Theon sighed, “It’s all the rest.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah,” Ella nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“What about you, Miss Baratheon?” Theon challenged.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’ve never been much a fan of trouble,” she demurred then smiled slyly, “It just has a nasty habit of pursuing me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Who can blame it?” Theon pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>He saw the blush rise on her cheeks and she turned back to him and gave him a small smile, “It’s always nice when someone lives up to their reputation, isn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh this? This is nothing,” Robb told her truthfully.</p><p> </p><p>He saw her trying not to smile, and she asked, “You’ll make sure he behaves himself though, won’t you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, you can bet on that,” he agreed readily, and then his eyes fell to her collarbone and he had to force them back up, “No promises on me though.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” she smiled, leaning forward slightly. His breath caught until he realized she was just putting her glass back on the bar. “I suppose I ought to keep my wits about me then.”</p><p> </p><p>“Overruled,” Theon noted quickly, picking up her glass and handing it back to her.</p><p> </p><p>Ella giggled and Robb couldn’t help but laugh too. Theon decided they all ought to play a game and he tried really hard to listen to the rules but Ella kept catching his eye and it made it very hard to focus on anything else. They got the hang of it though and every round they started laughing harder and harder as Theon made them speak faster and faster.</p><p> </p><p>He claimed defeat and Ella told them about the old friend from school she’d been having a drink with and Theon told them about the girl he was going to see. It became clear to him that this girl, whatever he said, had captured more than his attention.</p><p> </p><p>As Theon finished his drink he glanced at his watched and said, “It is with my deepest regrets though not really because I’m about to get <em>seriously lucky</em>, I must be going.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella still had half of hers and he was nearing his end, nursing it until he saw what she wanted to do.</p><p> </p><p>“You ought to tell her,” Ella mused.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell her what?” Theon asked.</p><p> </p><p>“All those things you think you shouldn’t,” she told him. “Sounds like she might just like to hear them.”</p><p> </p><p>With that she took a casual sip of her martini and Theon looked at him from behind her head and mouthed <em>marry her</em>. Robb smirked and held up his hand for Theon to high five.</p><p> </p><p>“Love you brother,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Nothing but love,” Theon agreed and then wrapped his arms around Ella from behind and said, “And you, Miss Baratheon. Let’s hang out every day for the rest of our lives.”</p><p> </p><p>Ella reached up and patted his head, “I’ll pencil you in.”</p><p> </p><p>Theon left them to it but neither of them spared another glance at him. He was going to ask if she had plans that night or if she’d stick around for another, or at least, take long enough to finish her drink that he could have one.</p><p> </p><p>She glanced at his drink though and her voice was decidedly flirtatious when she said, “I hear they refill those…”</p><p> </p><p>He fought to contain his smile long enough to say, “Fancy girl, fancy place.”</p><p> </p><p>It wouldn’t have been unsurprising if she’d rolled her eyes at that, but she merely signaled to the bartender and then gestured to his drink. Once the bartender had nodded at her she took a small sip of her martini.</p><p> </p><p>He rested his elbow on the bar and placed his chin in his palm, “Recite Shakespeare again.”</p><p> </p><p>She turned to him and giggled, “<em>No</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, come <em>on</em>, a little Hamlet this time? Or maybe Othello?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a sucker for the tragedies, huh?” she sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes sad things can be beautiful,” he told her.</p><p> </p><p>A dimple appeared in her left cheek and she tilted her head to the side, “You’re wearing your glasses again. I hadn’t noticed.”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” he shook his head, “Just looking at roses, that’s all.”</p><p> </p><p>The bartender brought him his drink and they cheersed again, taking sips. Ella’s eyes were everywhere except his face and he wondered if he’d pushed too far. They’d done their fair share of flirting, but it had all been with Theon there, which made it safer somehow.</p><p> </p><p>Which illustrated how unusual she was, as <em>safe</em> had never been something he’d considered Theon’s presence to be.</p><p> </p><p>“Do I seem sad?” she asked after a moment.</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t ask it in her usual challenging manner, but rather thoughtfully. So, he thought about it.</p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes,” he admitted, and then happily realized, “Less every time I see you, though.”</p><p> </p><p>A small, far-off smile drifted across her face, and she shook her head, “It’s not that I love him anymore or anything. I just… I think the hardest part about <em>afterwards </em>wasn’t losing him or our life together or the one I thought we were going to have or <em>anything</em>… it’s been the realization of how much I had to stop loving myself in order to stay with him for so long.”</p><p> </p><p>He thought of his ex, the way she’d pick apart what he said and asked to look in his phone. The guys calling her at odd hours and the way she was ugly by the end of it.</p><p> </p><p>He’d never let anyone treat someone he loved like that.</p><p> </p><p>“But,” she smiled, “Being here helps. Around Tommy and Marg and the girls. And Barristan, Arys… you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Me?” he questioned.</p><p> </p><p>She blushed but nodded, booping his nose, “Those glasses of yours. I’m almost ready to try them on.”</p><p> </p><p>He grinned and told her, “They’d look great on you.”</p><p> </p><p>She laughed and pretended to take them off his face and plop them on her own. They sipped their drinks and talked about a hundred silly things and a few important ones. She insisted on paying her own tab but allowed him to help her into her coat and they were still talking when they left the bar, so he started walking her home without it really being discussed.</p><p> </p><p>It was a nice old area of the city, with townhouses from centuries ago. They walked side by side and he put his hands in his pockets, not because he was cold but because he was afraid that he’d take her hand otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>She stopped in front of a white painted townhouse. There were window baskets with blue flowers and a dark green door and shutters, brick steps.</p><p> </p><p>“This is me,” she informed him.</p><p> </p><p>“It suits you,” he agreed.</p><p> </p><p>She looked at the house, taking an exulting breath and smiled before turning back to him.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m glad I bumped into you,” she confessed then joked, “It’s becoming such a habit I find myself looking round corners!”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “I only plan it <em>half</em> the time.”</p><p> </p><p>She smiled and stepped up one step, but looked almost nervous as she asked, “When shall we meet again?”</p><p> </p><p>Standing on the step they were just about eye level and as he closed the distance between them, he saw her eyes widen. He could have kissed her then, the gods knew he wanted to, but he pressed his cheek to hers.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won,” </em>he all but whispered in her ear.</p><p> </p><p>Her cheek pressed against his and he marveled at its softness. She smelled like jasmine and a bit of sunshine and that in and of itself was a miracle in their grey city.</p><p> </p><p>And then he felt her hand taking his. Just as she had in the car, he interlaced them immediately, almost by rote.</p><p> </p><p>She stepped up another step, pulling him gently by the hand, “It’s just that the hurly-burly can take an awfully long time. And I’m not ready to say goodnight.”</p><p> </p><p>He stepped up the first one and she kept her eyes on his as she climbed the next. He could feel it, that heat from the sidewalk outside of Oak Bar and then the car, outside under the umbrella and sitting at the bar.</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t ready to say goodnight either, far from it, so he followed her up the stairs and waited as she undid the lock. She stepped inside and he went with her. They took off their coats in the foyer and she hung them up in the closet and then he followed her into a cozy sitting room.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m still decorating,” she apologized for a room that was one step away from a magazine spread.</p><p> </p><p>“It suits you,” he repeated.</p><p> </p><p>Everything about it was feminine and classic, just like her. He’d noticed it about her car too. It was as though she’d so long been living in someone else’s space that she had made everything here stubbornly her own.</p><p> </p><p>It frightened him a little how deliriously happy he was to see that she was truly building a life here.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” she smiled, looking around the room as well. “Would you like something to drink?”</p><p> </p><p>“No… I’m okay,” he said, “Unless you –“</p><p> </p><p>“No, no that’s alright,” she shook her head, “Music?”</p><p> </p><p>“Music,” he agreed.</p><p> </p><p>She pulled out her phone and a second later, something sultry and bluesy came out of the speakers.</p><p> </p><p>He stepped towards her, “Are you trying to seduce me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” she said with a laugh, looking up at him through her lashes, “I thought that was obvious.”</p><p> </p><p>He could feel his heart thudding in his chest, and he knew he was blushing. She was too though and the only reason he hadn’t kissed her before because he wasn’t completely sure that she wanted him to.</p><p> </p><p>Even still, he had to make sure she knew what she was doing.</p><p> </p><p>He narrowed his eyes at her playfully, “How much have you had to drink?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm,” she thought.</p><p> </p><p>“That many?” he asked in horror.</p><p> </p><p>He’d only seen her drink the one and she had been perfectly poised – if not adorably rowdy – all evening.  </p><p> </p><p>“No,” she smiled, “I was trying to think of a way to say this that was both ladylike and seductive and I can’t so…” she closed the distance between them and placed her hands on his chest, moving them up until she was grasping his shoulders. Her hands felt so good on him but it was nothing compared to when she stood on her tiptoes and leaned her body against his. He swallowed hard and her eyes wondered from his eyes down to his lips and then slowly back up, “Let me just say that I am in <em>no </em>way tipsy enough that you should have any reservations about doing this, but I <em>am </em>tipsy enough that it’s going to be <em>really fun</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“That I have no doubt about,” he breathed out.</p><p> </p><p>She stepped away and wondered, “So how am I doing?”</p><p> </p><p>“At what?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Seducing you…” she reminded him.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, very well,” he promised and suddenly he was stepping forward and she was moving backwards, her hips swaying and her eyes on his. “Though considering I’ve been wanting to take that sweater off you since I first saw you…”</p><p> </p><p>“This sweater?” she asked, her fingers dancing over the neckline. He nodded and she smiled, bringing her hand down to where it was tied on one side, slipping the ties through her fingers. “Well if you just pull right here…”</p><p> </p><p>He closed the distance between them and took one of the ties in his fingers. Her cheeks were flushed pink as she looked up at him and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could go without kissing her.</p><p> </p><p>“This right here?” he murmured.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded up at him and he pulled it. He was glad he didn’t know how easy it was to undo or he never would have been able to sit next to her all that time. It swung open revealing that the lace strap he’d seen earlier belonged to a white lace bra.</p><p> </p><p>Everything about her was delicate and feminine and so beautiful it belied reason.</p><p> </p><p>“You are so gorgeous,” he breathed out.</p><p> </p><p>She smiled, but demurred, “You took your glasses back.”</p><p> </p><p>He could have just kissed her, or he could have teased her, or he could have said a hundred thousand under things. But she liked that he was honest with her, and she told him he made her happier, and he knew that there was no world in which she could start to fall for him before she’d started loving herself again.</p><p> </p><p>So he took her face in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers, “No, Ella, I’m just standing in a damn rose garden.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"the one where they... you know..."</p><p> </p><p>oh ALSO I'm nearly 100% sure the whole hurly burly exchange comes from something else, I mean that I know that it comes from Macbeth but I'm pretty sure I read a book where two characters had that exchange so... let me know if you know it because I'll give credit!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She felt the bed shift underneath her as she woke, and she rolled over in time to see Robb Stark’s perfect naked butt getting out of bed. He started tiptoeing away and she propped herself up on her elbow and watched him.</p><p> </p><p>He tiptoed one way and then the other. Clearly looking for his pants, which happened to be downstairs on her couch.</p><p> </p><p>He turned around and saw her looking at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Ella!” he greeted her.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t let me interrupt,” she suggested, “Should I go back to sleep so you can sneak out?”</p><p> </p><p>“I was <em>not </em>sneaking out,” Robb argued.</p><p> </p><p>She pointed at his feet with a grin, “You’re literally tiptoeing.”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t want to wake you!” he defended.</p><p> </p><p>“So you could…” she raised one of her brows, trying to hide her smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Make sure Jon saw my text about going and taking out Grey Wind,” he sighed, defeated.</p><p> </p><p>“Your dog?” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” he nodded. “He’s been alone all night and –“</p><p> </p><p>“You have to go!” she realized, sitting up. His mouth dropped open and she realized that she was entirely naked on top, so she pulled the comforter up to her chin, as though there was any point in modesty now, “You have to go let him out. And feed him!”</p><p> </p><p>He smirked, “Or I could check my phone and make sure Jon did…”</p><p> </p><p>“Your pants are on the couch, go, go, go,” she ordered.</p><p> </p><p>He left the room chuckling and thudded down the stairs. It was obvious that Rickon had learned it from him, probably having heard it since he was a baby. A moment later he came thudding back up and he sprinted over to the bed and jumped on.</p><p> </p><p>“He went and brought him back to theirs,” Robb told her giddily.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, thank goodness,” she sighed, “That poor puppy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, he lives a better life than most people,” Robb grinned.</p><p> </p><p>She smiled, laying her head back down on the pillow and looking up at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning,” she brushed his russet curls back off his face.</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning,” he breathed out, his eyes wandering over her face as he stroked her shoulder, “How did you sleep?”</p><p> </p><p>“Very well,” she answered and then let out a hysterical little giggle.</p><p> </p><p>Robb looked at her, his nostrils flaring slightly in surprise before he laughed, “What was that?”</p><p> </p><p>“I” <em>giggle</em> “don’t” <em>giggle</em> “know.”</p><p> </p><p>She rolled over and hid her face in the pillow, unable to look at him for fear she wouldn’t stop giggling.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Ella,” Robb murmured, his fingers stroking her back.</p><p> </p><p>Even just at that whisper of a touch she could feel the goosebumps rising already. His fingers were <em>magic</em>, as she’d learned again and again and again last night.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Hmm</em>?” she asked into the pillow.</p><p> </p><p>“If you turn around, I can kiss you,” he told her.</p><p> </p><p>“Who said I want to kiss you?” she asked into the pillow, so it came out <em>whrorariranroriru. </em></p><p>
  
</p><p>He pulled her gently and turned her around, resting his arm on the other side of her, “What was that?”</p><p> </p><p>She blushed, but asked, in no more than a coo this time, “Who said I want to kiss you?”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “Well I don’t have to.”</p><p> </p><p>She pushed herself up so that her elbows were propping her up, her lips just an inch from his, “Yes you do.”</p><p> </p><p>He looked at her, his eyes almost cloudy before he closed them, shaking his head and then his lips were on hers. His kisses were just as good in the morning as they had been last night and she wrapped one arm around his neck. He went to wrap his arms around her back as she went to wrap her other arm around him and then there was very much nothing holding them up so they fell back onto the bed with an undignified <em>thud</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you alive?” he grimaced.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not sure,” she admitted, “Kiss me again.”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled against her lips and then kissed her again, his tongue slipping against hers. Both of his arms were around her and he rolled them so that she was on top of him.</p><p> </p><p>His hand moved underneath her comforter, rubbing her bare back until it landed on her bottom.</p><p> </p><p>She kissed him deeper, tugging him so that they fell back. They both started pulling at the comforter and Robb cursed before they finally got it off of her.</p><p> </p><p>She trailed her fingers down his back and stopped as she got to his underwear.</p><p> </p><p>“Why did you put these on?” she wondered.</p><p> </p><p>His cheeks turned an adorable pink as he confessed, “Your house is really girly. I felt weird being naked in it.”</p><p> </p><p>She giggled and pointed out, “You didn’t seem to mind last night.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well last night I was distracted…” he pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>“So, you’re saying that if I distract you, you’ll take them off again?” she reasoned.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Ella</em>,” he groaned, leaning down and kissing her again.</p><p> </p><p>This time it was her who nudged him up so that she could get on top of him. Her legs parted slowly to rest on either side of his and she looked down at his naked torso. Her hands followed her eyes and she rubbed them up his abs and chest and shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>His fingers trailed up and down the outsides of her thighs in that leisurely, content way of his. There hadn’t been a single moment the night before that he’d rushed her, and yet, neither had there been one to doubt how much he wanted her.</p><p> </p><p>She leaned down and kissed one of his abs and his chest and his hands moved up her thighs and her waist and shoulders until they cupped her head gently, stroking her hair.</p><p> </p><p>“Somehow,” she told him, lulled into confession, “Your body is even better than I imagined it.”</p><p> </p><p>“You imagined it?” he asked, and she could hear the smile in his tone.</p><p> </p><p>She looked up at him and nodded, and watched as the glimmer in his eyes turned to mist. He was looking at her in such a way that made her feel like she could tell him anything. He always seemed to be, though.</p><p> </p><p>He asked in a shy tone, “What did you think about?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Hmm</em>,” she thought, “Well I wondered if you had abs…,” she teased, moving down his body so that she could press kisses to them, “Which you do,” his eyes were intent on her so she went on, “And…” she could have told him about how she’d imagined his chest and his back and all the rest but that gaze made her shake her head and say, “But most of all I thought about your arms.”</p><p> </p><p>“These old things?” he murmured.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, these old things,” she murmured back. And then covered her face before she admitted, “And what they’d feel like around me.”</p><p> </p><p>He sat up and didn’t move her hands away, he just wrapped his arms around her. It wasn’t the first time he’d done so, but she felt her heart thudding all the same. She let him just hold her for a second and then she wanted to be closer to him so she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder. His arms were so strong and he held her so close, his hand rubbing gentle circles between her shoulder blades.</p><p> </p><p>“I hope they didn’t disappoint,” he said against her hair.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” she sighed, “Like everything about you, they are perfect. It’s the most peculiar thing, really.”</p><p> </p><p>“What is?” he asked, nuzzling against her neck.</p><p> </p><p>She’d thought about it so often that it was surprising not to be able to find the proper words to articulate it.</p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes people’s confidence makes them cocky or proud, but others’ makes them kind,” she tried to explain, “That’s you. And it makes every inch of you generous - a body as perfect as yours ought to make me feel self-conscious, but instead, it makes mine feel perfect too.”</p><p> </p><p>He tightened his arms around her for a moment and she heard his intake of breath, but then he had flipped them so that her back was back on the bed, her body tangled up in the sheets.</p><p> </p><p>“This body?” he asked, his hand covering her stomach over the sheets.</p><p> </p><p>“This old thing, yeah,” she grinned, as he proved her point. He was far too generous to make her feel embarrassed about a declaration such as that.</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled and sat up on his knees, “Now see, here is where I take <em>great </em>offence to that. <em>This </em>body is perfect all on its own. For instance…” he pulled her leg out from under the sheet and lifted her foot. “Look at this foot, have you ever seen one prettier?”</p><p> </p><p>She giggled, “See I said all this <em>before </em>I knew you had a foot fetish.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh no, not a foot fetish,” he corrected, his eyes boring into hers, “A <em>you</em> fetish, maybe though. Because this foot,” he said, pressing a kiss to her arch and then nipping her heel, “Is attached to this delicate ankle,” he said and kissed her ankle. His hands moved up her leg slowly, making her point her foot, squirming impatiently under his gaze, “Which is connected to your smooth calf, and then,” he grinned at her, as though about to let her in on a big secret, “An achievement unprecedented in the natural world, this knee,” he kissed one of the bones of it tenderly, “Perfection… And this thigh,” he looked at it and shook his head, pressing kisses up the inside of it. She could feel her body reacting to him in earnest now and he murmured against her skin, “What do you say about a thigh such as this?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Robb</em>,” she pleaded.</p><p> </p><p>He wrapped her leg around his waist and leaned over her, resting his arms on the bed above her. She tightened her leg so that his body pushed up against hers and he let out a groan-chuckle.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re teasing me,” she grinned, though her voice sounded desperate.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” he shook his head, looking in her eyes as though it was very important that she understood him, “I’m <em>admiring</em> you.”</p><p> </p><p>She did believe him. It was impossible not to. As playful as he was, it was always obvious when he wasn’t playing.</p><p> </p><p>Playing was safer than that look in his eyes though, so <em>her </em>voice was teasing when she asked, “What about my lips then?”</p><p> </p><p>His eyes trailed down to them and he smiled, “Oh those?” She nodded, “Those I have a quarry with.”</p><p> </p><p>“What did they do?” she half-laughed.</p><p> </p><p>“They demanded to be kissed,” he accused with a scrunch of his nose and that should-be-illegal grin, “Far sooner than you gave me permission to do so.”</p><p> </p><p>“Vile things,” she smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“Truly terrible,” he agreed.</p><p> </p><p>And then he lowered his lips back to hers and if their bodies weren’t perfect, at the very least their imperfections fit together like puzzle pieces.  </p><p> </p><p>An hour later they dressed and he left with a long, lingering kiss goodbye. He turned back and smiled as he was walking down the stairs and she didn’t close the door until he turned the corner.</p><p> </p><p>She went back into her living room and smiled when she saw the damage. It wasn’t much, just a couple of throw pillows on the ground and a knocked over picture frame. She lifted that and then picked up the pillows, finding her phone underneath one of them.</p><p> </p><p>It was an uncomfortable feeling. A delicious, almost cruel, feeling. Never in her life had she experienced anything like it. She’d never understood why girls discussed their sex lives. Watching all those shows where they talked about it over brunch she hadn’t even tried to stop her judgment of them.</p><p> </p><p><em>That’s private, </em>she’d thought, because she didn’t understand. The way you’d want to breathe something back into existence so desperately, that it needed to exist somewhere else outside of your bedroom and your mind and his. That it was the same way that people wrote accounts of explorations or battles, but that this was somehow far more important to remember.</p><p> </p><p>So she settled onto her couch and tucked her feet up underneath her, pulling her pale purple bathrobe tighter against her, and she called the one person who she knew would help her to memorialize it better than any other.  </p><p> </p><p>“Good morning Ellabelle,” her sister-in-law answered on the first ring.</p><p> </p><p>“Marg is Tommen or the girls in hearing distance?” she asked quickly, her voice little more than champagne bubbles</p><p> </p><p>“No I-,” Marg started but she couldn’t contain herself.</p><p> </p><p>“I slept with Robb Stark!” she exulted.</p><p> </p><p>“You slept with Robb Stark?” Marg asked, the squeal just out of her voice.</p><p> </p><p>Relief flooded through her. She knew Marg had been the right person to call.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yes</em>,” she promised, falling back so that she was laying on the couch. It felt softer today than it had yesterday. “I bumped into him last night and we just got to talking and he’s so <em>dreamy </em>and it just sort of happened… a few times… last night and this morning and <em>by the gods </em>Marg he’s so incredible, so much better than it ever was Trystane – you know he always just made this <em>face</em> I couldn’t stand but Robb is just… and he does this thing with his t-“</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning Ella,” another voice interjected desperately.</p><p> </p><p>Her blood ran cold, and she sat up quickly, “S…Sansa?”</p><p> </p><p>“We’re just heading to the farmer’s market,” Marg explained, then laughed, “If you need anything… though it sounds like you’ve been <em>very </em>well taken care of.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Oh oh my -</em>,” she groaned.</p><p> </p><p>She heard vibrating and then Marg saying, “Is that… oh – answer it, <em>answer it,</em> don’t be selfish put it on speaker!”</p><p> </p><p>“Hi Robby,” Sansa picked up the phone.</p><p> </p><p>Ella closed her eyes in horror, laying back on the couch slowly, wondering if there would ever be anything that could convince her to get up again.</p><p> </p><p>“Dovey, are the kids with you?” she heard Robb’s voice asked, though he sounded very far away.</p><p> </p><p>“No b-,” Sansa started.</p><p> </p><p>“It <em>happened</em>! I’m not giving you <em>any </em>details so don’t even ask but <em>by the gods</em> Sansa… this girl-,” Robb’s excited voice made her feel slightly better though not even close to less embarrassed.</p><p> </p><p>“Is on speakerphone,” Margaery informed him proudly.</p><p> </p><p>“Marg?” Robb asked in horror.</p><p> </p><p>“Present,” Margaery responded happily.</p><p> </p><p>“And um… well Ella called to say hello…” Sansa noted, covering for her more than she deserved.</p><p> </p><p>“E…lla,” Robb said.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi,” she grimaced.</p><p> </p><p>“What um… were you all talking about?” Robb asked in a tone that she was sure he meant to be casual.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you call Tommen and explain whatever it is you do with your t-,“ Marg started to ask.</p><p> </p><p>“MARGAERY SIMONE TYRELL,” Ella all but barked.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m just teasing,” Marg chided and then in a self-satisfied tone informed them, “Tommen doesn’t need <em>any </em>pointers…”</p><p> </p><p> “MARG,” she, Robb and Sansa all groaned.</p><p> </p><p>“So, um… while I have you all,” Sansa cut in, “I was wondering if you’d all like to come to dinner this week. Maybe Thursday? And Kitty’s birthday party is on Saturday at 1. Ella, I hope you can still make it…”</p><p> </p><p>Ella felt a smile tugging at her lips and then heard Margaery crack up and Robb join in.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry! I don’t know what else to say,” Sansa, their resident Emily Post, explained.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course, I’ll be there on Saturday,” Ella smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“And Thursday?” Robb asked.</p><p> </p><p>She could <em>hear </em>Marg and Sansa’s intake of breath and she couldn’t help but let out a brief giggle.</p><p> </p><p>“And Thursday,” she agreed, “Just let me know what I can bring.”</p><p> </p><p>“Just yourself,” Sansa said graciously and then asked, “Robby we’re going to the farmer’s market, anything you want?”</p><p> </p><p>“Um,” Robb chuckled, “Ooh yeah, will you get me that lettuce I like?”</p><p> </p><p>She heard Sansa say <em>lettuce </em>and then Marg asked, “And you Ellabelle?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, I’m alright,” she shook her head, a painful smile on her face.</p><p> </p><p>“As you said…,” Marg teased.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay goodbye!” Ella laughed, “Sansa I’m not coming empty-handed so I’ll text you tomorrow once I’ve recovered from this episode… actually… let’s make it Monday.”</p><p> </p><p>She hung up to the sound of them laughing and grabbed one of her throw pillows and screamed into it. Perhaps she’d had it right the first time, and some things were meant to be private after all.</p><p> </p><p>Though she couldn’t help but be excited that Robb clearly hadn’t been able keep it to himself either. It was adorable, too, that he’d called his little sister rather than Jon or Theon.</p><p> </p><p>She grabbed her phone to text him an apology and saw that she had a text from her cousin Shireen.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>oh my gosh how are you?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>She smiled at the way Shireen always started out a conversation as though they were already in the middle of one.</p><p> </p><p>And because there was no way this conversation could go any worse than the last one, she sent back: <em>incredible</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>The typing bubbles appeared immediately and then a text came through: <em>I know, I can’t believe him.</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>Ella’s brow furrowed, wondering if Robb had somehow gotten ahold of Shireen’s number and then dismissed that as the stupidest theory in the world. She typed back: <em>What are you talking about?</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>The typing bubbles appeared and then disappeared three times before she received: <em>Trystane… you haven’t heard? </em></p><p>
  
</p><p>She could feel her heartbeat in her chest as she typed out: <em>No, I haven’t heard from him…</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>It wasn’t the typing bubbles that appeared next but rather Shireen on her caller ID. Ella sat up and took a deep breath before answering the call.</p><p> </p><p>“What is it?” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>“El I don’t know how to tell you this,” Shireen lamented.</p><p> </p><p>“You know me,” she attempted a breezy tone, “Just the facts, ma’am.”</p><p> </p><p>“Trystane…” Shireen said slowly and then all at once, “Well, he’s engaged.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re making me nervous,” Sansa admonished and handed him a bowl with crackers in it, “Go put these out.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb sighed but stopped pacing back and forth and did as she asked. Jon was in the living room as well, moving one of the tables to the side.</p><p> </p><p>They’d intended to have an outdoor party for Kitty but the rain had made that impossible. Had it been snow, as they sometimes got this time of year, they would have had the kids bundle and continued to play games outdoors but the cold rain forced everyone inside.</p><p> </p><p>Kitty was disappointed until Rickon had the idea to have a game of hide and seek all over the house, including the basement and attic. She’d been so delighted that Sansa and Jon merely texted him and Margaery and Tommen, asking if they’d station themselves at different points in the house to ensure no children got lost or hurt.</p><p> </p><p>He started rearranging all of the snacks on the table. Once, twice, and then a third time.</p><p> </p><p>“You need a drink,” Jon pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s barely the afternoon,” Robb reasoned. He moved the platter of vegetables once again and nodded, “Maybe a beer.”</p><p> </p><p>Jon slapped him on the back and Robb followed him back into the kitchen. Jon opened the fridge and grabbed him a beer and Robb opened it, taking a small sip.</p><p> </p><p>Sansa smirked, “What’s a six year old’s birthday party without a drunk uncle?”</p><p> </p><p>Robb colored but Jon answered, “It’s either that or a drunk father. He’s making me nervous.”</p><p> </p><p>His sister nodded and said nothing else as she continued to tweak this and that. She was a perfectionist and even with the change of plans had outdone herself.</p><p> </p><p>Robb took a large sip of beer and before he could ask them once again if Ella was really coming, the doorbell rang. Jon went to go answer it and all of a sudden there was screaming and yelling and shrieks of laughter.</p><p> </p><p>After that he was brought into refereeing a dispute between two six year olds regarding some apple juice and talking to parents. It was welcome, the distraction, particularly when Tommen and Margaery showed up with Lenny and Joey but without Ella.</p><p> </p><p>He knew that she was going to be there. She had told him as much, and promised Kitty, which was far more binding.</p><p> </p><p>Even still his eyes hadn’t been able to stop going to the door every time he’d heard it open.</p><p> </p><p>He told himself that he was just excited to see her, but it was a lie. He knew it was a lie.</p><p> </p><p>Robb remembered that night at the Oak Bar, telling Pod he’d never understood it when two people had hooked up and it’d been great and was then awkward after. It showed him what a relationship guy he was actually, because usually after his first night with a girl, the second one happened immediately after until they were spending more nights together than they were apart.</p><p> </p><p>With Ella it was different though. Everything was.</p><p> </p><p>That night they’d had together was incredible. The way they connected with each other had been unlike anything he’d ever felt, and their bodies seemed to know what the other’s needed without any words being communicated.</p><p> </p><p>And then that morning had happened and it had felt like the start of something. The start of something great and important. He’d left her house and had been buzzing for the rest of the day.</p><p> </p><p>It’d been embarrassing when he’d called Sansa and she’d been on the phone but he’d been reassured when it became clear that she’d called Marg to do the same thing.</p><p> </p><p>He gave it a day, not wanting to overcrowd her even though his body was aching for her, but when he’d texted her on Sunday her responses had been stilted. He’d asked her to go for drinks on Tuesday but she’d had a thing and told him she’d see him on Thursday.</p><p> </p><p>Everyone had been giving him the eyes as soon as he showed up and then tried to make it as though things were perfectly normal when Ella did. And they were, kind of. She was gracious to everyone, helping Sansa in the kitchen and thanking Jon for a recommendation he’d given her. She’d sat in between her nieces again and spoken in their own language.</p><p> </p><p>And she’d avoided his gaze all night.</p><p> </p><p>At first he’d just thought she was embarrassed. He couldn’t really blame her for it. It was embarrassing, it seemed like every time he glanced at someone they were already looking at him or Ella. Tommy was the only one who didn’t seem to find it very amusing, so Robb had actually felt safest with him.</p><p> </p><p>He’d realized though, as he’d walked her to her car, that there was something else going on other than embarrassment. Something that made her unable to meet his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>He’d had a lump in his stomach ever since she’d driven off, a fear that he couldn’t really understand but nagged at him, nonetheless.</p><p> </p><p>Trying to speak with Jon about it had gotten him nowhere, and Sansa hadn’t been much better. They both thought he was overreacting, reminding him of how he’d made her laugh and telling him that they’d seen her looking at him when he was in conversation with someone else.</p><p> </p><p>That had given him some hope and he’d been busy the night before anyway, so he’d tried to put it out of his mind. Even still he’d woken early today and hadn’t been able to calm down since from the thought of seeing her.</p><p> </p><p>It was odd, how much of his thoughts she took over. He’d known that he was falling for her, had been from the very first second he’d seen her. But ever since he’d left her house it was as though every third thought was of her. Her laugh and her golden hair, her lips against him, or the way her eyes had looked staring into his on their third time.</p><p> </p><p>He helped some kid open his juice box and then Marg was at his side.</p><p> </p><p>She asked, “Have you heard from El?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” he groaned, unable to hide the annoyance from his voice.</p><p> </p><p>She glanced at him and he blushed but then she looked down at her phone, “She should be here by now.”</p><p> </p><p>His stomach knotted, “Do you think she’s alright?”</p><p> </p><p>The rain had been coming down in sheets for the past hour and it seemed as though the one talent Ella did not possess was driving. Had things been less weird between them he would have offered to drive her out here, and now he wished that he had.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure she’s fine,” Marg said, though her eyes told a different story, “But um, let me know if you hear from her okay?”</p><p> </p><p>Robb nodded, “Yeah of course, you too.”</p><p> </p><p>Marg nodded and then glanced at him, “And don’t say <em>anything </em>to Tommen or this party will turn into a search party really quickly.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb smirked at that and glanced across the room where Tom was straightening the cat ears Lenny was wearing.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s pretty protective of her, huh?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>Marg glanced at him and nodded, “Someone ought to be, don’t you think?”</p><p> </p><p>“He doesn’t have to be,” Robb told her, “When it comes to me. Neither of you do.”</p><p> </p><p>She smiled at him sympathetically and rubbed his arm, “It has everything to do with her and nothing to do with you. You just… you don’t get it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t get what?” he wondered. “I know her ex was an ass and that he made her feel like shit… but…”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not my place,” Marg shook her head, “But the thing you have to get about Ella is that she’s a perfectionist, you have no idea what she would have done to her- what she would have done if she felt like she was failing.”</p><p> </p><p>His stomach knotted for the second time in as many minutes and he all but growled, “Did she hurt herself?”</p><p> </p><p>Marg sighed, “Robb.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine,” he sighed back but couldn’t help but say, “I’d never make her feel like that.”</p><p> </p><p>She smiled, “I’m aware.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think-,” he started to ask but was interrupted by Sansa coming into the room and clapping her hands.</p><p> </p><p>She announced that the game of hide and seek would be starting. Kitty, the birthday girl, was the seeker and she recruited Joey to be her helper. The two of them giggled behind their hands, making him forget just about everything except how cute his niece was, and how adorable she and Joey were together.</p><p> </p><p>All the kids ran and hid. Every door in the entire house had been opened, though all of the exits except the front door had been locked. They’d done a count before so that they knew how many they had to locate and then all the adults went to separate corners of the house.</p><p> </p><p>He took the east wing, stationing himself in front of the library. Little kids squealed as they ran by him and he made a show of turning a key at his lips to ensure them he was not a snitch.</p><p> </p><p>Kitty and Joey tiptoed into the hall.</p><p> </p><p>“Uncle Robb!,” Kitty exclaimed, “Have you seen anyone?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hmmm,” he mused, “Have I?”</p><p> </p><p>Joey giggled and pulled Kitty towards a hall closet where there were at least three kids hiding. She opened it they screamed in delight as two kids came out. Robb smirked, and made a mental note to check the closet at the end of the game for the little ones that were far too sneaky for their – or their parents’ – own good.</p><p> </p><p>They heard something at the other end of the house and ran towards it, and Robb knew that at least five or six kids were still hiding in his area. He walked into the library but didn’t see anyone so he went and looked out the window. At this rate the game would last ages so he considered finding a book to read.</p><p> </p><p>He went to the shelf and was looking for an old favorite when a flash of gold went by.</p><p> </p><p>“Ella?” he called, moving through the room into the hall.</p><p> </p><p>She stopped when she heard him and turned around. The ends of her hair were wet and her nose was pink and a beautiful smile overtook her face briefly before it faltered.</p><p> </p><p>“Does Marg know you’re here?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded, “I just saw her. She told me that this side of the house could use someone.”</p><p> </p><p>Robb fought the urge to grin. For all of Marg’s statements about staying out of it, she was clearly not adverse to meddling entirely.</p><p> </p><p>“Is everything alright?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded and then grimaced, “My car sort of had an issue. But it’s all resolved.”</p><p> </p><p>“What happened?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I got a flat tire on the way over here,” she admitted.</p><p> </p><p>“You should have called,” he admonished. “I-Marg was worried.”</p><p> </p><p>She sighed, “Yeah well I knew if I called that you, Tommy and Jon would have ridden out into the rain on noble steeds or whatever. I called Triple A, they changed it no problem.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” he agreed, because she wasn’t entirely wrong.</p><p> </p><p>She was about the horses but there definitely would have been a commotion, perhaps even an overreaction if she’d called and told them she was having car trouble.</p><p> </p><p>“Well if you have this area covered, I should…” she started walking towards him and then by him.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait,” he pleaded, grabbing her frozen hand.</p><p> </p><p>She stopped in her tracks and the way one or both of them always did, she interlaced their fingers. He knew it wasn’t conscious, it was just what happened.</p><p> </p><p>Even still he couldn’t help but look down at them and then up at her. His eyes reached her face a few seconds before hers reached his, and he watched as hers clouded over, a blush rising on her cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>It was the first sign that he’d gotten from her that he wasn’t crazy. That the other night had happened, and it had been incredible as he thought.</p><p> </p><p>He tugged her by the hand and she all but fell into his arms and he kissed her. She kissed him back immediately and he pulled her into the library, pinning her against one of the walls of books.</p><p> </p><p>Ella’s hands went into his hair as her lips opened to allow him access and he licked into her mouth, his hands steadying him against the wall.</p><p> </p><p>Her tongue slipped against his and then his leg was in between hers and he wrapped one of his arms around her waist, tugging him against her.</p><p> </p><p>He broke the kiss and pressed one to her cheek and then her jaw and down to her neck. She shivered against him, pulling him closer.</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he admitted, her reaction to his kiss giving him the confidence to do so, “<em>This</em>.” He kissed the shell of her ear and murmured, “I missed you.”</p><p> </p><p>He felt her body go limp in his hands, and suddenly the hands that had been scrunched in his hair were now resting on top of it gently.</p><p> </p><p>Robb pulled away in time to see the look of guilt flash before her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Ella?” he asked, that knot returning to him.</p><p> </p><p>She pulled away from him and smoothed her hair, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”</p><p> </p><p>“Why?” he wondered, not understanding why they’d ever do anything else. Her eyes looked into his and he stepped away, “Oh.”</p><p> </p><p>“Robb…” she sighed.</p><p> </p><p>He stepped even further away and asked, “Are you kidding me?”</p><p> </p><p>“The other night was great,” she said. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”</p><p> </p><p>“Not get…” he started and trailed off, shaking his head, “I know you felt what I felt… it wasn’t just a one night stand.”</p><p> </p><p>“And what?” she questioned, “Fucking me at your niece’s sixth birthday party is all romance?”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t talk to me like I’m just some asshole,” he argued, feeling ashamed because he absolutely would have fucked her at his niece’s sixth birthday party if she’d let him.</p><p> </p><p>“I just…,” she started and now she couldn’t even look at him, “I think we moved too fast.”</p><p> </p><p>That knot twisted and he was relieved that his voice sounded angry rather than hurt when he said, “Is that right?”</p><p> </p><p>“You know I’m just out of a relationship…,” she pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, and I also know I didn’t climb in your fucking window, Ella,” he reminded her. “Or did you forget that you’re the one who invited me in?”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re right,” she agreed in a small voice.</p><p> </p><p>That voice tore his chest open and he shook his head, “No I’m not. The gods know I wanted to come inside… I probably would have asked if you hadn’t.”</p><p> </p><p>Her gaze met his and she shook her head, “No. You wouldn’t have.”</p><p> </p><p>The urge to cry hit him violently but he swallowed it back. He was going to salvage whatever pride he had left for the remainder of this conversation.</p><p> </p><p>“So that’s it, then?” he asked. “That’s all we are. One night.”</p><p> </p><p><em>One perfect night</em>.</p><p> </p><p>As though she heard his thought her eyes softened, but she said nothing.</p><p> </p><p>“Did I do something?” he couldn’t help but ask.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” she shook her head, “This is all me.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It has everything to do with her, and nothing to do with you. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yeah,” he sighed, “So I’ve been told.”</p><p> </p><p>“Robb…,” she started.</p><p> </p><p>He waited there, like a chump. All it would have taken was one word. That’s it, that’s all. He didn’t need much, just a sign that she didn’t really mean it.</p><p> </p><p>But when she trailed off she did not pick it up again.</p><p> </p><p>“I would have waited,” he told her and he saw tears well in her eyes, “For you to be ready. If I had known… but whatever, no harm done. Just one night, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“Right,” she agreed hollowly, a single tear escaping and trailing down her cheek, like dew on a rose.</p><p> </p><p>He fled then, because if he couldn’t take off his glasses even now, he had to get out of the garden.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The walk had been about three miles but after what had happened the day before she hadn’t been very interested in getting back in her car. She’d been proud of herself for driving back after the party, but in truth she’d been so desperate to get out of there she would have ridden a pogo stick.</p><p> </p><p>This morning though when she woke up, the sun had been shining, a clear, crisp Fall day, and she didn’t have it in her to drive.</p><p> </p><p>Margaery had given her the address along with a bit of a lecture. She’d deserved the latter but not the former and had merely thanked her and agreed.</p><p> </p><p>Her conversation with Robb had been haunting her since he’d stormed out of the library. Everything had gotten so messy. She’d always prided herself on her ability to communicate and she’d just flopped entirely. The nerves from her drive out there mixed with everything else just ruined that for her and she said things she didn’t mean and didn’t get to say the things that she did.</p><p> </p><p>He’d been so hurt. It had been written all over his face, even when his voice had turned to ice. And all she wanted was for him to hold her and kiss her more and she’d pushed him away.</p><p> </p><p>The walk had been long but pleasant. Robb lived across the city from her, and there were miles of shops and restaurants in between them, even a farmer’s market that she stopped at briefly.</p><p> </p><p>When she showed up at his building she realized how foolish it was for her not to call him in advance of coming. He could be out, he could have stayed at Winterfell. If he was any other guy she’d even imagine that he could be with another girl, but that wasn’t Robb.</p><p> </p><p>A kind looking doorman opened the door for her and she walked inside.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m here to see Robb Stark,” she told him.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course, my dear, is he expecting you?” the doorman asked.</p><p> </p><p>She winced, “I’m afraid not.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled kindly, “I’m sure you’ll be a lovely surprise then. One moment please.” He went around the desk and picked up the phone, “Your name, please, miss?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ella,” she told him.</p><p> </p><p>He nodded, “Yes hello Mr. Stark… I’m sorry hello Robb… yes very good sir… I have a Miss Ella to see you…oh… sure… yes… of course sir.”</p><p> </p><p>Myrcella’s heart thudded in her chest. She shouldn’t be surprised, of course Robb wouldn’t want to see her. How could he, after what she’d done?</p><p> </p><p>The doorman hung up the phone and smiled at her kindly. She wanted to wave him off, it was unfair for him to be in this uncomfortable position.</p><p> </p><p>“Mr. Stark has asked that I wait one minute and then send you up,” he informed her.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” she said.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe let’s give him two?” the doorman suggested. “He probably just wants to tidy up for you.”</p><p> </p><p>She smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and lied, “I’m sure you’re right.”</p><p> </p><p>They stood there awkwardly for another minute or so and then he said, “He’s in the penthouse, you can go on up.”</p><p> </p><p>She thanked him and walked towards the elevator. There was a young man standing in it and she said, “Penthouse, please.”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded and pressed the button, and she avoided his curious glances. She was sure that Robb, a young bachelor living in the penthouse, had guests all the time, but the staff certainly wasn’t acting like it.</p><p> </p><p>They rode up in the elevator in silence and when the door opened it brought her right into Robb’s foyer.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello?” she called.</p><p> </p><p>A large dog came into the space to greet her and she let him sniff her hand. He was grey, clearly the same breed as Jon and Sansa’s two, and had warm amber eyes. He nuzzled against her and she pet his soft head.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, I was just…” Robb said and she looked up.</p><p> </p><p>He was so gorgeous, even in a white t shirt and grey sweatpants. Okay, maybe he was especially gorgeous in a white t shirt and grey sweatpants. The t shirt showed off his strong arms and the hint of his muscles underneath and she was pretty sure when he turned around she was going to swoon at the way his back and butt looked.</p><p> </p><p><em>Focus</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s alright,” she tried to adopt a casual tone, “Your welcome committee here is top notch.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled briefly before it died on his lips and nodded, “That’s Grey Wind.”</p><p> </p><p>Memories of last Saturday morning, Robb tiptoeing around her room trying not to wake her, the look of surprised delight when she’d sat up entirely naked, his glee jumping back into bed, flooded her mind.</p><p> </p><p>She glanced at him and the faint blush on his cheeks told her that maybe he was seeing them too.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s very sweet,” she told him.</p><p> </p><p>He nodded and then gestured behind him and she nodded so they started walking further into his apartment. As suspected, his muscular back and perfect butt were on full display and she looked away, trying to retain a semblance of control.</p><p> </p><p>The apartment was nearly austere, but it had large windows that warmed it and gave way to a spectacular view of the city.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow,” she said and when he turned she gestured to it.</p><p> </p><p>He nodded and asked, “Do you want something?”</p><p> </p><p><em>You</em>, she almost said.</p><p> </p><p>“No thank you,” she shook her head, “I’m sorry to just drop in on you like this.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah uh…,” he scratched his cheek, “Why are you here?”</p><p> </p><p>“To apologize,” she told him, not willing to miss the opportunity again. “And explain, if you’ll let me. I’d understand if you didn’t want to hear me out.”</p><p> </p><p>“No…,” Robb said, “That’s okay.”</p><p> </p><p>She nodded and took a deep breath, “First of all, I’m sorry for how I acted yesterday. I um, well it’s no excuse but I didn’t really tell you the full story of my car trouble… I was driving on the highway and the tire sort of…blew? And-“</p><p> </p><p>“What?” he asked in horror, stepping towards her as though to check for signs of damage.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine,” she promised, “And I’m not telling you that to like… soften you up or anything…I just… I think I was sort of frazzled… and then I saw you and it felt good to… give in for a second. But it was selfish.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, let me get this straight,” Robb sighed, “What you want to apologize for is kissing me?”</p><p> </p><p>“No!” she argued, and then thought about it, “Well yes. I do, because that wasn’t fair to you, but that’s not all I want to apologize for.”</p><p> </p><p>He was silent for a moment and then looked at her, “Are you sure you’re alright?”</p><p> </p><p>She swallowed down some tears and nodded, “I’m okay. It just sort of shook me up a bit.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” he agreed, “I’m sure it did.”</p><p> </p><p>“So… onto the other things…,” she said. “I… I want to apologize for what I said about you getting ahead of yourself. That was… well it just sucked.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did you mean it?” Robb asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes and no,” she admitted. “I didn’t mean it to come out like that and I certainly didn’t mean it to seem as though <em>you </em>were the only one who was…”</p><p> </p><p>“Look Ella, I don’t want to be a dick here,” he interrupted, “But if you just came to tell me we can’t be together in a slightly nicer way to make you feel better about how yesterday went… I don’t really think that’s fair.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re right,” she agreed. “So, I guess I should just explain.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” he nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“Trystane is engaged,” she told him.</p><p> </p><p>He looked at her and his face fell, “Oh, honey.”</p><p> </p><p>“Please don’t be nice to me,” she begged. “I should have just told you but… I was so embarrassed.”</p><p> </p><p>“What do you have to be embarrassed about?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“That I care?” she suggested, “That even now it… it…”</p><p> </p><p>“Hurts,” he guessed. She nodded and sighed, “Of course it does. You’ve only been broken up for what? A few months?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah and… well the woman he is engaged to is someone that he…,” she brushed her hands through her hair, “Someone that… was sort of… around when we were together. You know it’s that old story. He told me not to worry about her, that I was being crazy, and it made me feel like I was, you know. So, I guess it’s a relief in some way, to know that I wasn’t. But all the things I did to…”</p><p> </p><p>She thought about the lingerie and the diets, the party drugs and the turning a blind eye. She’d even gone to a sex guru to try to learn new things to hold his interest.</p><p> </p><p>Robb rubbed his cheeks and lamented, “This guy is such a fucking <em>dick</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” she agreed, and then let out a pained laugh. “And I fell for him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ella…” he started.</p><p> </p><p>She shook her head, “I know you’re not an asshole. You are… so <em>not </em>an asshole. But I fell for one, hard. And I… destroyed myself to keep him and so when I saw that he got engaged so quickly, to someone I knew, someone who’d come to parties at my house… when I thought about how they must have laughed…”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, honey,” Robb sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“I just stopped trusting myself a little, you know?” she asked, trying not to cry. “And it wasn’t just you… I felt <em>everything </em>that you felt that night and that next morning. I was…so <em>happy</em>. And then I found out and it made me question everything. It made me question myself, and even… even <em>you</em>, and I’m <em>so </em>sorry about that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Robb nodded.</p><p> </p><p>He walked away from her and she wondered if she should go. But then he turned around and closed the distance between them and took her in his arms.</p><p> </p><p>Her heart leapt in her chest as his arms pulled her to his chest. This, <em>this</em>, was why she’d let herself kiss him, even for a moment yesterday. Because of <em>this</em>, the way his arms made her feel.</p><p> </p><p>She burrowed into his chest and he stroked her hair and she hugged him tighter.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry,” she told him again.</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” he promised, hugging her tighter, “I know you are. Gods I fucking <em>hate </em>him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Me too,” she admitted, squeezing him and breathing in his comforting, exhilarating smell.</p><p> </p><p>“I was such a dick,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“No!” she argued, pulling out of his arms, “I was <em>awful</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“But if I’d known…” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“But how could you?” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>He took her hand and she interlaced their fingers, as though on autopilot, and he brought her over to the couch. They both settled onto it and she leaned her cheek against the back.</p><p> </p><p>“Ella, there’s something I have to ask,” he looked down at their hands and rubbed his thumb along the back of hers, “And it’s none of my business.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” she agreed, willing to tell him anything.</p><p> </p><p>He covered their hands with his other and asked, “Did you hurt yourself?”</p><p> </p><p>Skipped meals. Waxed everything. Dinners thrown up. Plastic surgery consultations.</p><p> </p><p>“A little,” she admitted. “Mostly I just didn’t take care of myself as I should have.”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded and raised her hand and brought it to his lips. Flowers bloomed in her chest.</p><p> </p><p>“Please promise me that you will from now on,” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded, “I will. I was so ashamed of myself, but never more than when I saw Joey and Lenny. Those perfect little girls. I thought of them doing what I’d done and… it made me sick.”</p><p> </p><p>“They look up to you so much,” he agreed. “And I know how much you love them. But… you’ve got to do it for you, too.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” she admitted. “They’re just a little easier to love.”</p><p> </p><p>“Only for you,” he argued. She looked up at him and he shook his head, “Everyone else finds you pretty easy to love.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can you forgive me?” she wondered.</p><p> </p><p>He smiled sheepishly, “I forgave you the minute Walter called up to tell me you were here.”</p><p> </p><p>A laugh escaped her lips and she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She lingered there, her temple against his. She could feel it, that heat that was always there between them. She kissed his cheek again, but lower, closer to his lips.</p><p> </p><p>“But,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“No buts,” she pleaded.</p><p> </p><p>He sighed and she pulled away, and she’d never seen sorrier eyes than his.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t want me,” she realized.</p><p> </p><p>His face crumbled, “Of <em>course </em>I want you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then… what?” she asked, “I know I freaked out but… things are over, with Trystane and me and…”</p><p> </p><p>“And you’ve still got a lot to work out,” he told her gently, “You were right… I did know you were just out of a relationship and that it had thrown you for a loop and I should’ve waited until you were ready.”</p><p> </p><p>“But I am now,” she argued. “Robb when you walked away yesterday I… everything snapped into focus.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled sadly, “For me too.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t understand…,” she admitted. “I know I was awful but –“</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not that,” he told her. “I knew that I had been falling for you… but yesterday… it tore my fucking heart out, honey. And… I think that a part of you was right, you know um… I think my feelings for you are ahead of yours for me. And that’s alright you know but… I don’t think I can… I don’t think I can…”</p><p> </p><p>“Say it,” she pleaded, her voice hollow.</p><p> </p><p>He looked into her eyes, “I can’t be with you until you’re fully over him, and everything he put you through. The stop and start… it… hurts too much.”</p><p> </p><p>She felt tears fill her eyes and she nodded, trying to blink them away. Stubbornly though they started falling down her face.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh honey, please don’t cry,” he begged.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m okay,” she lied, wiping her cheeks. He brushed a tear away with his thumb and it was like a dam breaking as she let out a sob, “I’m sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’ve got to stop apologizing for feeling something,” he admonished.</p><p> </p><p>Halfway through her relationship with Trystane she’d stopped crying when they argued because it only made him madder, colder. As though she was trying to manipulate him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s just really sad,” she told him, because there was no point in hiding anything now, “Because you’re so much better than he is, and I think you’re so much better for me, and I’ve ruined it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, I was there too,” he reminded her.</p><p> </p><p> She shook her head, “No, this was me.” She reached out and stroked his cheek, ignoring the yearning she felt in her heart when his eyes closed from her touch, “And I knew how you felt about me. But there’s something you have to know.”</p><p> </p><p>He opened his eyes and asked, “What’s that?”</p><p> </p><p>“That night… I wasn’t trying to be careless with your feelings,” she promised and shrugged, “I was just… giving into my own.”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded, “I know. I promise I know that.”</p><p> </p><p>“And it was perfect, wasn’t it?” she wondered.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, honey,” he agreed with a sad smile, “It was perfect.”</p><p> </p><p> She let out a shaky breath and nodded, “I should go.”</p><p> </p><p>She stood up and grabbed her bag off the floor and saw the plastic bag inside.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” she said, “I have something for you.” She pulled out the plastic bag and handed it to him, “Marg told me this is the lettuce you like.”</p><p> </p><p>“You bought me lettuce?” he wondered, taking it from her.</p><p> </p><p>“I passed through the farmers market on my way and,” she shrugged, “Guys always show up with flowers…”</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>She turned towards the door and he followed. Grey Wind was laying in the foyer and rose up when she went into it, presenting himself to be pet. She stroked his soft fur and his ears.</p><p> </p><p>And suddenly it felt like she was leaving the safest place in the world. With the dog’s gentle hum and the couch warmed from the sun and Robb’s strong arms.</p><p> </p><p>“When I get over it, and I <em>will</em>,” she promised, “Can I call you?”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled at her and stroked her cheek gently, “When I know you’re over it, and I <em>will</em>… I won’t even give you time to dial.”</p>
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